Underneath The Surface
by RandomHeroX
Summary: Time passed since the fight with Torchwick and the White Fang. With less time fighting, the team members of RWBY are able to concentrate on each other, causing a few members to think twice about what their partners actually mean to themselves. Will they follow through with the feelings they harbor or let opportunity slip between their fingers? Bumblebee and White Rose represented.
1. Blake: A Feline Frenzy

Hello. Thanks for anyone who was curious enough to read it. Those coming from my mlp stories, big thanks to you as well. Anyways, this is my RWBY fic and hope you enjoy it.

Blake: A Feline Frenzy

Months have passed since the run in with White Fang. Fortunately. for the Faunus. who was tested by her merit and loyalty, was glad to feel the normality of being a student. Team RWBY was quiet about the reveal of Blake's true race, although she felt that Weiss still harbored some negative feelings towards her despite her loving nature. Blake would stock that in the win category considering the ice princess was threatening the police and incarceration before it was all said and done.

For the most part, Blake's life had reset back to normal. School, training, and hiding her secret from the world. Shortly after the fight, Team RWBY sat down and talked about the next step and she logically explained why it would still be better to wear the bow. She didn't want to become Velvet. The sweet, shy, innocent Faunus gets picked on and nobody at school really seems to take initiative to stop the bullying because of the Faunus' status. She vowed to be more vocal in her protection of Velvet, but would not like the attention at the school for being different. Ruby thought it was fine as long as Blake was happy with it. Weiss found the logic sound as Blake didn't like attention in the first place. The one that seemed slightly miffed by it was Yang. Not because she should be proud of being Faunus, but for a far more immature reason.

She really liked Blake's cat ears.

Blake normally would have punched anyone who would jokingly say such a statement about Faunus attributes. She hates being found cute by such odd appreciation for her race, Yang was an exception. Yang was the reason she was with the team by being Ruby's big sister, was easier to open up to because of her endless spout of cheerfulness, and genuinely felt that the ears weren't just some accessory she wish she could have, but a part of Blake as a whole.

Blake didn't know what ignited the fire with Yang, but she has been asking her to hang out with her more, just one-on-one. She was alright with it. No matter how good a book was, it was no substitute for a friend. The dark-haired girl was sitting on her bed as the Fall weather temperatures were dipping down. The scenery was beautiful, but not for a girl that normally wears shirts with a midriff and a vest for attire. She figured sitting down and enjoying the sequel to 'Ninjas of Love' and some tea would be far more enjoyable than whatever was out there.

As she was getting into the very guilty pleasure romance of the novel, the door crashed open. The woman was startled, bringing her out of the steamy moment to see her blonde bunk mate at the frame.

"Hello bed!" Yang exclaimed and sluggishly leaped face first on Blake's part of the bunk. The Faunus took a disliking to the disruption and voiced her opinion.

"Wrong bed, Blondie. You're top." Blake observed the slickness of sweat coating her friend. The wetness of her skin clinging her clothes to her curves. "You were just at the gym weren't you? I don't want your dirty sweat on my sheets."

The blonde replied as if Blake was able to hear the muffled excuse.

"I didn't get that. Turn yourself over," Blake said slightly annoyed.

The blonde did as instructed. "Can't I lie here for a minute? I might have pushed myself a tad harder today than usual."

"Normally, I would say yes, but not when the shower is ten feet from us. Please, Yang, I just washed these things," she said authoritatively. Yang let out a large defeated sigh and marched herself to the doorway. The blonde did what she always does and flings her clothing back into the room as she disrobes. Blake went back to her book with the background noise of the shower running and Yang humming some random tune from the Achieve Men. Blake particularly didn't enjoy the boy band's music, but her partner's cheerful humming of the songs had grown on her. The thought crossed her mind as she realized Yang had grown on her. Being such an anti-social person, Blake would sit in her room and read frequently for the escapist feeling of a great read. She gave credit to Ruby, but Yang was always the one to convince her to get out of her comfort zone on more than one occasion. She couldn't believe that in a lifetime she would go to a dive bar, watch so many movies, and actually attend an Achieve Men concert. Blake did find them better live, but Yang was slowly opening up Blake to the rest of the world. She had no idea why Yang would take the person least likely to enjoy the time spent, but she was grateful as she could see worse ways of spending her time.

The time exhausted blow drying Yang's hair was longer than Professor Port's blathering rants. But as the howling of the machine clicked off, a fresh blonde with a white towel wrapped around her came out of the steamy room.

"Man, that felt good. Warm water, you have done it again," Yang vocalized as she did a few quick jabs in the air. Blake peaked over her book and was surprised at her reaction to the normality of the situation. Yang was a beautiful woman. Blake would even find herself admiring the voluptuous curves of her partner, but today she found them a little more tantalizing. She watched Yang go to the dresser. Hips swaying with such force, hair bouncing against her delicate back, and breasts giving a healthy bounce to the thrusts.

Blake could feel her face heat up. "_Well. alright, that's weird. Yes, Yang's pretty, but certainly never had that reaction before. Granted I probably have never peaked over my books to see her walk out of the bathroom. Just shake it off, Blake. The book is getting rather hot in this section. It was probably a one time thing._"

Yang got dressed in her usual attire and plopped back into the same position as she was before the shower. Now fully clean, Blake could care less if Yang were to fall asleep at her feet, but it seemed she was more in a talkative mood.

"What's the book about?"

Blake was brought out of her reading groove again, but her team interrupting her was more than fine at this stage. Blake, however, couldn't reveal that she was reading one of her smutty romance novels. She would never hear the end of it from the cheeky blonde. The Faunus quickly thought of a lie. "It's about a Faunus. She is in love and falling for a successful dust merchant, but he is a self-hating Faunus and doesn't want anything to do with her even though he feels the same way. It's thoroughly unattractive that he would do such a thing, just to keep his business thriving," Blake commented.

"I hear you," Yang said from beyond the book. The dark-haired girl then felt the warm hands of Yang burn into her cold feet. Before she could complain, Yang was positioning herself next to Blake. An arm lazily wrapped around the Faunus' waist and a tuft of blonde hair on her shoulder.

"Have to ask, what's with the snuggling?" Blake protested.

"Your feet were freezing and, judging from the rest of you, you could use a good heater," Yang pointed out. Blake wanted to complain and kick her off, but she had to admit that the brawler's fiery aura was hitting the right spots as it was coursing through her. Blake didn't mind as she has had to share warmth in her part on White Fang missions. So long as Yang wasn't a disruption to the reading, Blake would be still.

After a few minutes of silence, Blake felt her wish disapperate. "Can you read it to me?"

"Read? Are you serious?"

"I just want a cat nap. Noise helps me fall asleep. You have a really gentle voice and the synopsis earlier got me curious," Yang explained.

"You said cat nap cause I have cat ears, didn't you?" the Faunus pointed out.

Yang stifled a giggle. "Yeah. Puns are awesome, aren't they?"

Blake rolled her eyes and didn't mind the harmless joke. She decided that reading couldn't hurt, but not at the part where the protagonist was on all fours receiving one of the best orgasms of her life. She slipped backward to how the two first met to keep her partner in the dark about her taste in literature. After a few pages, Blake could feel Yang's arm go limp and head slump onto the her shoulder. The Faunus smiled at the gesture, but even as Yang's body heat was transferring over, the woman could feel herself getting hotter from within. She again blamed the book and joined Yang for a small sleep on the lazy day.

* * *

><p>Blake was carrying in groceries from the local convenient store on campus. Yang was a fan of her snacks and the school was very health oriented. It was either go months without the tasty bites or go on a pilgrimage to a store and purchase the stock. Blake was promised access to the pastries if she helped, but as they were walking towards the store, recounting how much time they've spent together. Since the lazy day, it's been almost a continuous stream of her and Yang for events that didn't require Blake to be there.<p>

As they were stowing their loot under Blake's bed for storage, the Faunus had to answer her curiosities. "Yang, is there a particular reason you've been asking me to join you in all these activities?"

The blonde stopped as if caught red in a lie. She resumed momentarily placing the boxes. "You know... just wanting some company."

Yang was not the best liar and Blake decided to press harder on the subject. "You know you didn't need me to go get a new school uniform because you ripped your jacket."

Yang paused and the look of defeat in her face indicated Blake wasn't wrong in her prodding of information. "Well, you know how you're like a Faunus and all."

Blake's stern nature was immediately dismantled at the obvious fact. "Yeah. Known that for awhile."

"Well, back when we were all talking about what you would do with your ear reveal, I said I just wanted you to keep your bow off because I like your ears. This is true. I think they are adorable, but it makes me feel that you want to hide from the rest of us humans because we are horrible. Me dragging you everywhere is because I wanted to show you that most humans are genuinely good people and wouldn't bat an eyelash if you walked into their stores with your ears. I know you're proud of being a Faunus and I wouldn't want you to not be your full self because of a few bad eggs."

Blake was taken aback form the statement. She didn't think Yang would go beyond the normally bubbly nature to give a thought out reason for her not to hide. She was moved by the blonde's words. "That's actually really sweet of you, Yang, but I have my reasons. I want to believe what you say, that probably most humans wouldn't care. I didn't give humans much of a chance before coming to Beacon and, thanks to you and the team, you've shown me that humans are capable of understanding. Sadly, I've seen a harsher reality where they treat you fine in disguise, but the second they realize who you are, they put up their prejudice and protect themselves from the 'monster'. Don't get me wrong. I've had a lot of fun going out with you. Next time you invite me someplace, have it be because you want me with you."

Blake gave a reassuring smile and Yang smiled big back. She leaped over and gave the Faunus a bear hug. The strong fighter had to admit that sometimes Yang didn't know her own strength as a few back bones were cracking under the pressure. The blonde pulled back, got up and offered Blake her hand. "Then I cordially invite you to class cause we have like two minutes to get there."

Blake didn't realize how late it was before Yang snatched her hand and was pulling her to class. She wanted to protest the childlike gesture, but was more intrigued as to what response was happening to her. She felt her pulse increase as Yang hugged her and face heating up as the brawler took her hand so quick. Before she could make anything out of the sensation, she was already in her seat. Luckily, Beacon wasn't overcrowded and the seats were feet away from each other. She wanted Yang to keep a distance as throughout Professor Oobleck's class all she could think about is what was going on with her body.

"_What is wrong with me? Yang shouldn't have that kind of reaction on me. My heart is racing and it isn't because we ran here. Feeling her body pressed against mine and delicately holding my hand like that. I flushed. I'm still flushed. I can feel the heat on my face. Good thing Yang's long hair is keeping me out of her peripheral vision so she can't see this. I've read too many books to not guess at what this is, but I can't give into it. I can't actually be falling for her?_"

Fidgeting in her seat while sorting out her feelings was harder than she thought. It was like trying to stop an oil fire. The more she tried to pour water onto it, the more it spread. As she was trying to deny it, the past few months with her and Yang were coming back and she was noticing the finer qualities of the blonde and traits she looks for in a romantic partner. Slowly a checklist was made and being filled out mentally as Blake felt she was going crazy with the realization. Before the bell rang, Blake made sure to push it out of her mind. Dwelling on such a subject was pointless and wasted the entire hour she was supposed to be learning about Vale's history.

The bell rang and Blake didn't want to see Yang, lest she only further prove her hypothesis. She stomped up the stairs, but with the blonde already at the entrance waiting, her plan got snuffed quickly. Using her training, she centered herself and kept a straight face for the unknowing brawler. "Long lecture. I was about to fall asleep. I swear, if that class wasn't so small I'd be on my scroll looking up cute animal pictures to kill time."

Blake let out a shaken laugh as she noticed that now looking directly into the lilac orbs was harder. "_Keep cool, Blake._"

"Yea... yeah. I found myself nodding off almost."

"Well, I'm starved. Let's get down to the hall and get some grub while it's fresh," Yang pronounced. The slender arm of the blonde was about to wrap itself around Blake's shoulders as usual. The Faunus quickly reacted and shuttered away from the close quarters touching of Yang.

"Umm... rain check. If you don't mind, I want to get back into my room and lie down. Think I may have caught something," Blake lied.

Being the most trusting person ever, Yang ate it up without giving it a second thought. "Jeez, sorry. You should have said something earlier. I wouldn't have brought you out today, then. I'll..."

"Nora! Give me back my backpack!" was barely shouted by the mild mannered Ren. Blake looked down to see the bouncing redhead, backpack in tow, making her way hurriedly up the stairs.

"You were taking too long packing up. I'm speeding up the process. It's Melon Bread Day. Melon bread, Ren. Gotta get down and get some," Nora enthusiastically stated. With her usual unfazing happiness, Nora ran in-and-out of every student to get some bread. The redhead accidentally swung the backpack and hit Blake in the back of the knee. As the Faunus was falling, she abruptly stopped. She opened her eyes to see Yang's face inches away from hers. Blonde hair cascaded down, making a private viewing of Blake's crimson face. In the static seconds, as she was looking into the brawler's face, she felt her heart stop and kick start in her throat.

Yang propped the dark-haired girl up and placed an open palm over her forehead. Blake resented the niceness as it was only making her hotter having the blonde touch her. "You are burning up. Sneaky cold. It's even messing with your stance. You usually are really good on your feet."

Blake knew the real reason behind her clumsiness and it wasn't the imaginary cold. Staying so close to the source wasn't going to help. Blake couldn't see it, but her face was rivaling Ruby's coat and sweat pouring from the proximity of Yang were at least making her story believable. "Yeah. Colds. Super crazy. I think I'll take that as my cue to leave," Blake extended her lie, peppering her outro with some mild coughs. "I'll try to not get the team sick."

"It's all good. Sharing a little germs only makes us stronger. To bed with you. I'll be back in a bit and I better see you under the sheets," Yang warned with a smile.

Blake didn't need to hear anymore as the emotions raging inside her were almost bursting at the seams. The Faunus made haste back to her room, covering her face so no one would see her. She couldn't believe how foolish she was acting in front of Yang. To a lesser extent, she couldn't believe her feelings towards the blonde. Blake made it to the safety of her bedroom, stepped into the bathroom and splashed water in her face. She looked at herself in the mirror. She was never one to show emotion and what she saw in her eyes was fear.

"I can't... I can't be falling for Yang. Who am I kidding? Based on my schoolgirl antics, I've fallen for her like a tons of bricks. Surprised I can make coherent sentences with my voice shaking as much as it is. But... why does it have to be her? Why couldn't it have been some random person on the street who flashed me a nice smile and I never saw again. It's not like I can avoid Yang. Even if I were to avoid her for the day, somehow, I'd eventually have to come here to sleep. I'm in love with my partner, teammate, dorm mate, and bunk mate. So little time is spent away from her that I can't even find it plausible to get over her. But it sure explains how my feelings became so strong."

Blake sat on the closed toilet and put her face in her hands, sulking in the realization. "Such a hopeless endeavor. The Faunus War divided us and The White Fang attacks continue to keep us apart. I could never ask Yang to deal with the troubles me and my people go though just so I can have her. Human and Faunus relationships are extremely frowned upon, definitely some of the prejudice would be splashed from me to her. Yang was lucky enough to be born a human and to have her be with me would have her give up those privileges. I can't be so selfish..."

Blake grabbed sip of water and headed to her wardrobe for a quick change. Yang thought she was sick and she might as well play the part. Now, in her black robe nighty, she snuggled underneath her covers and picked up another book. While reading, the door was tapped on and the person of her infatuation stepped in. Blake hid behind the book as Yang came closer to her. Often intruding personal space, the blonde placed her finger on the binding and forced the Faunus to look Yang in her lilac eyes. She smiled big as she held up a plastic bag.

"I don't know how hungry you were, but I brought you some mushroom stew and your favorite, a tuna sandwich."

Blake's heart swelled at the kindness, but openly rejected it. "_Why... it would be a person who is thoughtful. Why do I have to fall for the good ones?_" she sarcastically thought.

The Faunus lowered her book and address the blonde woman. "Thanks," she said as she lowered the book and placed it on the shelf next to the bunks. She accepted the plastic bag, untied in and got to the food. "You didn't have to do this. It's really nice of you."

"Pssh. It's nothing. Come on. Eat up," Yang cheerfully said. The blonde dove under the bed and got a couple of the coveted snacks they earned today. She offered one to Blake, but she was sure the two course meal would more than satisfy her. They quietly sat there and enjoyed their meals. The only sounds being the plastic wrappers and Blake blowing on the stew to cool it. Although it was calm on the outside, inside the raven-haired girl was a different story.

"_This soup reminds me of when Yang held me and had her aura pulsed through... OK no. This needs to stop. This has to stop. Look at something else. Anything that doesn't remind me of her. Ruby's bed. Nope, Yang's sister. The dresser. Wait, that's Yang's yellow shirts slumping about on the top. To the floor. Why is Yang's dog throw pillow on the ground?_"

The Faunus finished her modest serving quickly and moved on the the main course. Yang threw her plastic next to the wastebasket and missed. She shrugged it off as Weiss wasn't in the room to chew her out. Blake was focused on not looking over to Yang and ate the sandwich while looking at the ground. She heard the sheets ruffle and before she knew it, Yang was behind her playing with her bow. The Faunus moved her head to stop the playful antics.

"You know not to touch it."

"I know. Sorry. I saw you eating tuna and remembered cats like tuna. It's hard not to fixate on the obvious," Yang innocently confessed.

Blake didn't want to admit that her new found love was having a change of heart on her attitude towards the no touching policy. She almost blurted that it was alright as long at it was Yang, but with the blonde actually touching her, it would only make her sickness look worse. The Faunus finished her delectable snack food and got underneath the covers. She may be having to play sick, but a small nap after the stressful couple of hours was highly desirable about now. While turned away from the blonde, Yang put the back of her hands on the dark-haired girl's forehead and stroked though the long strands. Blake shuttered at the touch. Before Yang would go any further, she spoke her concern. "Can you please not do that. I appreciate it, but I'm a grown woman. I can take care of myself."

"I know. Sorry for being like this. I used to take care of Ruby when she was sick. Watching her grow, she doesn't need that support from me anymore. It's all that milk she drinks."

Yang's infectious laugh had Blake's smiling in the pillow. She did deflate quickly. Out of everyone in the group, Yang carried such a caring attitude that even the ice princess had a hard time rebuffing the kindness. If there was one thing that shouldn't be punished, it's her almost motherly affection. Blake was trying to keep her crush a secret, but couldn't hurt her tender teammate in the process. The Faunus thought back to the first conversation she had with her sister. Yang used to read Ruby to bed, stories of heroes and monsters. Blake sat up, still trying to keep her distance, but close the emotional one.

"Read me to sleep."

Yang looked over at the sudden response. "Really?"

"Yea-yeah. You seemed to like it when I read to you. Let's see if it works for me." Blake smiled, but darted her eyes to not meet the lilac ones gleaming with joy.

"Let's give it a shot. So long as you're alright with some classic fiction," Yang said beaming a smile. She returned to her original position as she grabbed one of the novels from Ruby's childhood. As Yang read the perfectly poetic words, Blake shut her eyes and drifted to sleep.

"_If I can keep these feelings under control, I could get used to this._"

* * *

><p>"<em>I can't get used to this,<em>" the Faunus thought to herself. "_This is one of those times I wish my team picked up the slack. Weiss, why does she have to drag Ruby around for studying? Without the other two, it's just me and Yang. Oobleck's exams are notoriously hard so it's been me, her, and a couple of textbooks alone in a small library room. I've been trying to keep my distance, but Yang always seems to look at my book. Probably because there's more than enough distracting doodles on her pages._"

Blake sat on her bed, waiting for the time she had to meet Yang. The blonde had infected her mind and the Faunus was love sick or rather sick of her love. She had disappointed herself so much. She is usually so calm, cool, and collected. Years of training to be able to handle herself in the most dangerous situations, but a couple of pretty eyes were enough to dismantle her. "_It's not that I haven't felt like this before. Couple missions with some members of The White Fang, you know, you get close to one another. Never have I been falling over on my feet, though._"

The Faunus laid on her bed. Hoping she'd get an email on her scroll saying the exam was canceled so she wouldn't have to see Yang tonight. She packed up her things and headed towards the library. She got a room and sat quietly. She didn't know why she came early as Yang is fashionably late. Then again, some quiet study time without Yang, the ultimate distraction, was a good thing.

Eventually the blonde came in with a food apology for being late. Blake again was annoyed as Yang could do no wrong. The study session went better than previous. Yang brought in an honest effort to learn history and was exceeding the expectations of the Faunus. Some quiet conversation, tea, and biscuits made for a productive meeting.

Their time reserved in the library room was almost over. With putting in more time than usual, Blake and Yang spent the time talking instead of burning themselves out for the exam. Since a lot of the exam was on The Faunus War, the subject of fighting was ever present and Yang was talking about the battle she had at a nightclub. "So, I just get done with fighting just a little militia of guys in bad suits. They couldn't pull off red ties and fedoras if they tried. Just wrecked them as soon as I released my semblance and got serious. You have your rules with the bow. I have my rules with my hair and they broke them."

Blake was amused. Definitely the two who liked fighting the most were Ruby and Yang. Neither of them liked to draw blood, but judging from the reading material they used to read, they were people who fought for what was right, and protected people who couldn't protect themselves. So listening to Yang talk about how she absolutely was crushing bones and pulverizing organs was enchanting. The authority she revealed in fighting was unreal. From her description, each punch was to not only take down the enemy, but make it look as good as possible. Such confidence was very admired by the Faunus. It definitely was stirring the love inside her.

Constantly having to direct her attention to anything other than Yang when she felt the urges. However, during the story's duration, the dark-haired girl was transfixed on the brawler. The golden hair, the shining lilac eyes, lips slick with gloss, button nose. She could go on. The longer her attention was on Yang, the harder it was to control.

"So now it's just me and these two girls. Hideous saloon outfits and they are just punks who think they can beat me. I reload by flinging my ammo belts in the air and locking them into Ember Celica and..."

Yang was stopped as the Faunus' faced closed in and their lips connected. Yang's eyes widened as the suddenness of the kiss was setting in. Blake was lost in the moment. By the time she realized what was happening, the kiss was complete and she quickly backed away. She saw her partner's dumbfounded face. Blake's heart raced. She knew she had to somehow cover up her actions.

"So sorry, Yang. I didn't mean for that to happen. I was sitting here and you were talking and I don't know, I lost myself and..."

The Faunus was shut down as Yang forcefully placed her lips onto hers as her reply. With roles reversed, the amber eyes of Blake were about to pop out. The feeling was too good. It's what she secretly has been wanting and was going to let herself give into the emotions. Both girls succumbed to the motion of the loving action and closed their eyes. Yang's lips were soft and coated with a hint of strawberry, an alluring scent of citrus wafting from her golden hair. It was slow, but sweet as pecks from the blonde were gently controlling the session. Yang tentatively pushed Blake's hair behind her ears. The brawler's hand found its place and rested behind the Faunus' head, deepening the kiss. Blake's free hand cupped Yang's face, rubbing her thumb on the soft cheek. Her blush was freely spreading as she was getting more into the moment.

Before the peppering of small innocent kisses got out of hand, the two heard a long tapping on the window. Blake immediately snapped back into reality and looked in horror to see who was outside. The ever-so chipper Nora was waving and saying 'hello' as if the two weren't in an intimate moment. Next to her was Ren, who has his head down pretending not to see and hide his embarrassment from Nora's entrance.

Blake's face was already red from the intimacy. The added layer of embarrassment of getting caught made her face look like a tomato. Blake reacted quick and shoved all of her books into her pack and quickly made her way to the door. "Thanks for studying, Yang. Sorry for going over the time Ren and Nora bye."

Blake heard Yang say something, but pretended not to hear it. All she knew was she couldn't face Yang or her team for awhile. "_I can't believe I just did that. What is wrong with me? I didn't mean to do that, it just happened. Almost like magnets getting slowly stronger until they are close enough to connect. It's over. Yang isn't going to let that slide past her. We can't go back to where we were as friends. Now that she knows how I feel about her. I have to get away. Just for a few days. Maybe I can think of a better excuse than you had something on your lips._"

The scared Faunus departed from the library and quickly made her way towards the town. It wasn't going to be easy, but living off campus is her only option. A couple of transactions later, she was in a hotel room with a bed. It wasn't as nice as the dorm, but there was the plus that there was no Yang. Blake sat on her bed, rolling around in her own self-loathing. She figured as long as she shows up for the exam would be enough. Skipping a few classes till then would be easy to make up.

After the adrenaline of the event was leaving her, Blake was falling asleep on her pillow. She didn't want to think about what happens next. There were too many scenarios were it would end poorly. Dwelling on it would only make her feel worse. As guilty as it was, she thought back to the kiss, placing her hand to her lips. She could still feel Yang, taste her saliva, and feel every pleasurable nerve as her mind reminisced. "_It may not have been worth it, but it was... gratifying._"

Thanks for reading. I will be updating the story every three weeks. I am a grad school student, work part time, so time gets slim around exams and presentations. The time gives a nice buffer so I can concentrate on my work and play effectively. Also I will introduce White Rose in a few chapters. It won't just be Bumblebee. If you want please review, fav, follow. Thanks and have a nice day.


	2. Yang: A Blonde's Bind

First off I want to say, thanks for the positive response. As a first time post, I didn't expect much, but it was a solid start to a series I didn't attempt. To all those who did read, review, favorite and follow, thank you. Please share with the communities if you want and please give a shout out to my artist for the story, Bakki on DeviantArt. He drew my cover and ever other chapter will have some art commissioned by me. Anyways here's the chapter. Enjoy.

Yang: A Blonde's Bind

"Wait, Blake. Stop!" Yang yelled as she scrambed to pack up. She quickly shoveled all the papers into a heap and slung her pack over her shoulder. Then she remembered that Blake reserved the room and would need to go pick up her ID at the front. Yang said her pleasantries to Ren and Nora and rushed downstairs to see if Blake was obsessive enough to remember. At the desk there was no one. The blonde ran up the desk for inquiries.

The worker behind the counter looked annoyed, but was ready to aid Yang. "Hello, how may I help you?"

"Yeah. You seen a black-haired girl run by here. Wearing a black vest, white shirt, bow in her hair," she said hurriedly.

"Yes, certainly was breaking policy by running in here. What of her?" the librarian snappily retorted.

That was all the information Yang needed as she headed to the correct exit. She looked around for her friend. In the sky, in the trees, on top of buildings. Yang knew Blake had a thirty second head start, but didn't think she would be breaking mach speed to get away from her. Based on the training they have done together, the brawler knew her partner's techniques. One of them was to not leave a trail. She didn't want to quit, but she wasn't going to run herself across Vale to find a single shadow. She casually walked back to the library and fought with dialogue to get Blake's ID. It took the lie of her father dying and she had to run to the emergency room to get it back.

In the dorm room, Ruby and Weiss were already asleep. She looked towards Blake's bed and found it empty. It was wishful thinking that it would end that easy for her, but it didn't hurt to hope. She slinked into her nightwear and into the top bunk. She lay on her back, arm used to prop her head up, staring up at the ceiling wondering what just happened.

"_Talk about surprises, the Faunus gets first place. The only bigger surprise that could trump is if Ruby was pregnant. That was... that was something. Go in for an innocent study session, end it with a make out session. Had to shake off the cobwebs at first, but I could tell I was getting in my groove as she let out a soft moan at the end. Stop... stop bragging for a moment. You can pat yourself on the back later that you've still got it._" Yang smiled from ear to ear. "_Totally still got it. Kissed a lot of people in my life. Never was a friend, though. Never was someone I've already had plenty of time with and got to know already. The last thing I want to do was hurt her. She left scared and I don't think it was because we were caught. She would have left with me, but buried her face in embarrassment. I guess the only thing I can do now is wait..._"

Yang replaced her arm with the pillow as it was already losing feeling. Before falling asleep, she couldn't stop thinking about Blake. She wanted to stay up and see if she would walk through the door, but her determination couldn't keep her awake. She slowly drifted in-and-out of sleep as the smallest of noises would alert her to wake. Morning came, and still no Blake in her bed. Yang shook it off and proceeded with the day as usual. She figured Blake would have to come home at some point. As the night winded down, the results didn't change. The bed below empty and Yang went from worried to concerned. She sat up and waited all night, occupying herself with her scroll to keep her attention. The sun came up and nothing. Unless Blake learned a secret technique to not be seen or heard, then Yang was certain she was gone.

Yang decided to root herself in the room. Blake was going to came back here at some point and it was now time to play the waiting game. She sent Ruby off to bring breakfast back and was keeping her trips to the bathroom minimal. She was not going to miss the Faunus' return.

Ruby returned with a two bowls of cereal, toasts, and milk for the both of them. The little sister did not like seeing her older sister in such a predicament. Also, cradling with her legs to her chest rocking back-and-forth wasn't a sign of a healthy mind. "Ya-yang. Is everything alright?"

If there was one person she would never lie to, Ruby was that person. The added layer of it being about her teammates made it a greater priority. "No, not really, Sis."

"You want to talk about it?" Ruby cautiously asked. Yang didn't know how she looked, but unkempt hair and a bugged eyes look wasn't a flourishing style for her.

Yang jumped down from the bed. She wasn't superstitious, but chose to sit on Weiss's bed in favor of Blake's. "Set the tray over on the shelf, Ruby. It's story time."

The little red huntress did as instructed as sat down next to her sister. "This isn't like the stories you used to read me as a kid, is it?"

"No. this is a story of a blonde girl who might have made a mistake." With that lead in, Yang continued to tell her sister of the night's events. The studying session, surprise kiss, Yang's libido taking over, Blake rushing out of room, and why she hasn't been around the last couple of days. "Ruby... I don't have the slightest idea where she is. I don't know if she's alright. It's all my fault. Maybe if I didn't kiss back. Us getting get wrapped up in our little world and get found out... It could have been a simple kiss, but I wanted more. I'm so greedy."

There was a small silence after the confession. Yang didn't expect her sister's tiny arms to wrap around her. She could feel the warmth of teardrops on her bare shoulder as Ruby was crying. "I'm so sorry, Sis. I knew something was wrong, but I didn't say anything."

Yang was amused by her sister's reaction. That last thing she needed was a scolding and it looks as if her sister was still too young to give her lectures. Yang moved her sister upright and grabbed a tissue, wiping away the tears. "It's fine. To be honest, I probably wouldn't have accepted help. I was very much holding onto the hope Blake would come back on her own. As endearing as it is Little Sis, Big Sis needs some help, so let's regroup and think of something."

Ruby smiled back at her sister and wiped the residual tears from her eyes. She nodded and thought about it. "You do anything that might have hurt her?"

It was an obvious no from her perspective, but the only way to really make sure she didn't hurt her was to look at it from a different position. Her and Blake have talked of past exploits. "Well, you know how I kissed back. The thought that went though my head was 'Pretty girl kissed me, kiss back and get more.'" Yang covered her eyes as the embarrassment of the caveman like instinct hit her. "It was such a reflex to catch your prey, lip lock with them, and successfully drag them back to their own den and leave the next morning."

"Eww. Too many details, Sis."

Yang looked back at the number. It wasn't high, but it was much higher than Blake's respectable one. "It's probably a few too many partners I've had, Ruby. Played with even more people's hearts with some teasing and less turned into anything more than that. The only reason I'm telling you is this is that I've told Blake all of this information. We both know our sexual pasts and maybe she was turned off by the number. What if she thought she would be another notch on my bedpost? That's certainly the way I've been presenting myself in my retelling of the stories. None of those people I've slept with lasted longer than a few months anyhow. Weeks a couple of them. I can see her running away from such a possibility."

Yang never felt shameful about her past, but she didn't think that it could sneak up her like this. Ruby was ready to respond after taking in too private of information. "I really wish you didn't tell me that, but you do make a point. I guess if people knew, it could be intimidating, but there is a way you can make it better."

"How?"

"Well, do you like her?" Ruby innocently asked. Yang knew the answer to that question. It was a resounding yes, but Ruby knew what she was really asking.

"I have been thinking about it. I do like her. Probably more than most of the people that I've been involved with. It's just a different perspective this time around. All the others were people I've met, not people I've known. I know plenty about Blake already. Definitely all the questions you ask on the first few dates and a couple you ask privately when you feel like teasing. She's pretty impressive and, I'm not going to lie, she has that mysterious look to her that's attractive in it's own right. I've caught myself a few times fixating on her amber eyes. Pretty easy to get lost in. Slender legs and have caught a glimpse of a firm butt when those coattails flap up. I love the way she rolls her eyes at my jokes, but still smiles. The way she lets me sleep in her bed as long as it doesn't bother her from reading. She compliments my fighting style perfectly. Couldn't ask for a better partner. Now that we know there are ears under the bow, I've noticed whenever she hears something intriguing, they twitch. Like there was this one time when we were watching a movie and... " Yang caught herself in the explanation and blushed in the realization. "Oh my gosh, I'm gushing. When did this happen?"

Ruby laughed as she had figured out Yang's feelings were greater than she realized mid-explanation. "Didn't think I'd ever see this, but I think you're falling for her in front of my eyes."

Yang flushed even harder. She didn't realize all the time she would be spending together with Blake would culminate to love stronger than that of their partnership. "I did... I did like kissing her. Lips were soft, moist, tender. Hair well kept. Wanted to run my hands through it Probably silky like the delicate contours of her body."

Ruby plugged her ears and started humming to herself, indicating to Yang that it was wise to stop. She pulled her sister's fingers out and told her it was safe for virgin ears again. "Well, you definitely are attracted to her. Both aspects, physically and emotionally. If I had to bet on it, maybe she was meant to mean more than the others."

Yang let it all sink in. She felt her heart beating faster as she thought of the great sensation that is love. "I hope you allow dating within the team, Ruby. Pretty sure you have two teammates that are foolishly head-over-heels with one another."

Ruby smiled big as they crossed the first obstacle of this problem. They let out a cheerful squeal while Ruby chanted 'Yang's in love.' loud enough for the floor to hear.

The two settled down and took the next step in finding out why Blake left. "This is a head-scratcher, Ruby. I understand if my past is intimidating, I also understand if kissing me could mess up our friendship, but Blake isn't a coward. She would run away from a much greater threat."

"It's because she's a Faunus and you're a human."

Both sisters looked at the doorway to see the ice princess at the frame with a cup and saucer. She took a sip with her smug answer.

"How did you know what we were talking about?" Ruby asked with pure curiosity.

"You left the door open. I came in and saw Yang on the bed with her face in her hands. I thought she was crying until I heard about the library. Seems you were able to chase off Blake more effectively than me, Yang."

Yang wanted to make a comment back to Weiss, but the princess was onto something. "Care to explain your hypothesis, bright eyes."

"It should be obvious. Faunus are still considered second class citizens. I know you see it from a very liberal perspective, but I was raised in a family who hated them, grew up in a society where it was alright to think of them as lower than me, witnessed how humans treat Faunus cruelly and have it be acceptable. She's protecting you, Yang... from all of that."

Yang soaked in the ice princess' words. She forgets that although some humans have a friendlier aspect towards the race, there are still plenty of parts that still cling on to the discriminatory acts of the past. With the government backing them, and no signs of it changing soon, it was the most logical conclusion. Weiss continued.

"That Faunus has a really hard crush on you to say the least. The way you describe the kiss at the library, she was alright with continuing if it weren't for the glorious interruption. She's probably been burying these feelings inside her to keep this from happening. She left to make sure you cooled down and have it be a non-issue when she returned. She cares a lot for you, Yang. Enough to selflessly put her feelings aside for you to live freely."

Weiss helped Yang connect the dots. It wasn't a perfect picture, but it was the best they could go off of. Now the last thing left was, "Where is she then?"

"I wouldn't worry too much about that. She's a big girl and can handle herself. Besides, she'll be back," Weiss answered with confidence.

"How can you be so calm about it?" Yang answered with heat in her voice.

"While you were pouring your heart out to Ruby, I too was curious as to where she was. I checked Beacon's records and found she is still an enrolled student. Blake is also very studious. She's not about to miss an Oobleck exam. It would guarantee her an automatic fail. She worked too hard to get where she is and isn't about to squander it because she's having a tiff with you."

"So what you're saying is that no doubt I will see her tomorrow?" Yang questioned.

"This hypothesis has the Schnee stamp of approval on it. I suggest working on what you're going to say to her," Weiss said as she took a seat next to Ruby and another sip of her tea.

All the pieces were fitting together. Yang didn't like prepared speeches, however. She was better at speaking off the cuff anyways. There was only one choice left. "Girls, I'm studying with you today."

Weiss had to control herself from spitting out her tea. Ruby's reaction was more than pleased. "Hooray Sis. We've been looking for a way to shake things up a bit."

"Before you get my vote, I better hear a good reason," Weiss conjectured.

Yang stood up in front of the duo. "Blake's smart. She'll get through that test in lightning speed and who knows how long before another window opens. I need to be as good, no, better than her. I need to be able to time my exit with hers. I'm the only one who can put the team back together at the moment. Please, Weiss. You're the smartest in class. Surely you can help this dunce."

The ice princess stood there with a judging stare. She was alright with Ruby and her antics, but having the sisters in one room could be chaotic. Weiss let out a deep sigh. "Fine. I'll help you study so you can get your Faunus girlfriend."

Yang rather liked hearing the term girlfriend in junction with Blake.

Weiss continued. "But I need a full effort from you. You want to be as good as me, you have to do the best that I can do, not your best."

Yang cupped the pointing finger of Weiss, crushing it with her enthusiasm. "No problem. You will have my full attention." She then directed her full attention to Ruby and tackled her to the bed. "I'm going to go get Blake back. You might have already met my next girlfriend, Sis."

Ruby got up and cheered around with her sister as Weiss rolled her eyes and finished her tea. As the afternoon rolled around, the three parts of team RWBY got down to business. Yang regret the decision to study almost immediately. Although Weiss and Ruby's collective notes were organized, well documented, and easy to read, the length of their notes seemed longer than the chapters they were responsible for. "You can't be serious? All of this?" Yang questioned as she flipped through the stack.

"And to think we're not done yet. We still have the last part of the fifteenth chapter. We'll cut you some slack, Yang. Study that to your heart's content and we'll finish up the rest." Ruby said. Weiss gave the leader a mean glare from the loose rules she was giving her older sister, but there was no time for fighting.

Yang looked at the first page and was intimidated. Half the information she knew from her study sessions with Blake, but did she really need to know such specific dates? Yang didn't want to protest further. She was not a fan of studying, but she wasn't about to let Blake slip through her fingers so easily. She buckled down. They ordered pizza, drank, and had small breaks, but in time the sun was setting, Yang had the confidence enough to be able to answer any question flawlessly. At this point, however, she had burnt herself out. The lack of sleep was catching up to her and felt herself nod off while reviewing the next bullet point.

Ruby was the first to notice and rushed to her sister's side. "Yang, go to bed. You're exhausting yourself. Weiss and I were going to turn in soon anyways."

"Yeah. You did great Yang. You were answering with speed with my quiz questions." Weiss added.

Yang tiredly glanced into her sister's gentle gray eyes. "I got this?"

The little red one smiled back. "You totally got this. Blake will be yours by this time tomorrow. I promise." Ruby came in for a hug, but pushed herself under her sister to get her on her two feet. She propped the zombie Yang to bed. Ruby slipped a cover over her and a mumbled form of gratitude came out. Before Yang knew it, she slipped into sleep and was woken up by the ice princess' alarm clock.

Weiss jumped out of her bottom bunk on queue. Not because it was an exam day, she just hates using the bathroom last. Yang was refreshed, but sore. She was out longer than she realized. Yang didn't waste time either. As soon as Weiss left the bathroom, she claimed it and had Ruby to get breakfast. The blonde took her beauty regimen down a notch to spare herself a few minutes she used for cramming.

As the three got to the class fifteen minutes early, Yang looked and the classroom was empty except for the few early birds. She hoped Blake would be one, but she banked on her plan to sit in the back and watch for the Faunus to show up. Yang and the team separated, but not before giving their best wishes. She took her spot in the middle of the back row. As the time drew nearer, the students were filing in. First being Ren, with a notebook close to his face with Nora not far behind with her cheer. Cardin and a couple more from Team CRDL came next. Yang was getting herself increasingly stressed as the time was almost up. The only thing to calm her in the almost-filled room was when Pyrrha and Jaune came in hand and hand. "_Aww, that could be me and Blake, if that Faunus shows up. Please don't be wrong, Weiss. All my eggs are in this basket right now and I'm sort of having a freakout. Come on, Blake, don't flake._"

Oobleck was already giving instructions to the class as the time drew nearer. Seconds felt like years as Yang's attention kept darting back between both entrances. Before Oobleck gave the orders to shut the doors, Yang could see the black-haired girl with the bow rushing towards her seat. The weight of a thousand suns lifted from her as she saw her plan start rolling. Oobleck passed out the exams, Yang's place in the class set her back, but she took that test head on. Ninety percent of the questions she blew past in an instant. Yang was praising her sister and the ice princess the entire way through. A small blow to her ego did occur as Weiss and Ren were the first to finish, but Yang had a couple pages left. Not a big deal until she saw Blake get up with her exam finished. Yang panicked and marked C on the last answers and flew down the opposite steps as Blake was quickly making her escape.

Yang bolted out of the class and looked for the Faunus. She was making her way towards the entrance and Yang yelled out to her. "Blake, wait!"

Blake clearly heard the blonde's cry and took her brisk walk to a full sprint.

"_Oh no, you don't. You're not getting away that easy,_" Yang mumbled to herself. During the sprint across the campus barriers, Yang kept Blake in her sights. Instead of yelling for her, she saved her breath and kept the pursuit strong. She knew Beacon was huge, but never got a full appreciation for the architecture until she was bouncing in-and-off of tower rooftops. Yang couldn't believe that the Faunus was almost in her grasp. A few more careful jumps and she would be able to pounce on Blake.

"_She's mine. Come here, kitty kitty._" Yang jumped and got her within range to make the final leap and snag the Faunus. Then a loud rustling and blackness came before her. Yang lost her flow as she crashed into the blackness. A bout of feathers and a gush of blood was around her as a murder of crows were fleeing from the crashing noises of the chase. By the time Yang oriented herself, Blake was nowhere to be seen. She slammed hard on her knees and pounded her fists into the ground cursing.

"I was so close! So freaking close! Train all my life to be a huntress and simple crows get in my way." Yang was on all fours, feeling victory slip from her as defeat was sinking in. She was almost at the brink of crying until a small tap hit her shoulder. Yang looked up through glossy eyes and Blake stood there with hand outstretched. She reached for it, as if by reflex, to make sure she caught Blake. The Faunus hand trucked her up to her feet and proceeded to dust gravel and feathers off Yang from her tumble.

"You have a few scrapes. Nothing your aura can't fix," Blake monotonously stated. Yang stood, completely stunned at the fact of her partner's return. "Let go of my hand or I can't get the rest of you."

"Thanks for the help, but if I let go, you might disappear again," Yang said, staring into the amber eyes of the Faunus. Blake realized her kindness did indeed trap her as Yang's grip tightened around her delicate fingers. "Is it alright if we talk?"

Blake was too afraid to make eye contact in Yang's face to answer. She simply nodded and that was enough for her to start. "So... where were you?"

The Faunus was determined to not look Yang in the face and responded to the ground. "I was fine. I was staying at a motel and eating out for food. I wasn't wandering with another Faunus like last time."

Yang was relieved to hear she was as responsible as she came off. The blonde's grip tightened in fear of the response to the next question. "Why did you kiss me?"

Blake bit her bottom lip. Yang could feel her palm getting slick with sweat as the Faunus was nervously looking in herself for the courage to answer. "I think it should be obvious. Why does anybody kiss anyone? It's because they like them." Yang felt a tremor flow through her from Blake, her heart pounding as Blake looked up to Yang with tearful amber eyes. "I-I like you, Yang."

Yang has heard confessions before. She was flattered by all of them, but this time was different. Blake had struck a chord deep within Yang that almost crippled her on the spot. Hearing the three simple words that change relationships, the confident woman felt an entirely new weight on her as she was holding Blake's heart in her hand.

"I don't know when it started. When I was gone, I was trying to pin point it... the best I could come up with is that the more I spent time with you, the more you grew on me and one day it all clicked and these feelings were pouring out of me. I didn't mean for it to happen. I was careless. I let my emotions get the better of me, and before I knew it, my lips were already on yours. I'm so sorry..."

Yang had been spellbound by the amber eyes. They were shaking from the fluid, but they were telling the truth. The Faunus was scared and a tear streaked down her face, but Blake was able to grab it.

"Don't... don't be sorry. That kiss. It was pretty awesome," Yang said trying to fight a smile in front of the teary Faunus. "I-I rather enjoyed it. If it wasn't for that I wouldn't have come to my own conclusion. I like you too."

Blake's eyes popped at the confession. Another tear came down and Yang used her thumb to wipe it away. "Ruby was the one who helped me on that one. I didn't realize how much you mean to me. How much you've integrated yourself into my life. Granted, it was me pulling you in, but you rooted yourself deep into my heart."

Blake smiled. It was weak, but it seemed hearing those three words work in any situation. "I almost wish I didn't hear that."

"I could guess the reason, but I'd rather hear it from you," Yang responded.

"I hid my feelings because human and Faunus relationships are frowned upon. Growing up and being in The White Fang, I saw my people get mistreated and disrespected, abused even. Society didn't care. They looked away or even supported the treatment. I can't have you around that, Yang. It would only cause problems for you and I'm not selfish enough to make you go through with that."

Yang wanted to give a cake to the Schnee heiress when she gets back for being right on the dot. It seems her lifelong feud with the Faunus did give her handy information on how the world really works. "That's nice, but I would have rather us talk about it before you ran off. You just assumed that I would discount a relationship because of the hardships. Nothing in this world worth having comes easy. I believe that you are worth having. I believe what you say... that it may get hard for us at times, but I really don't care what others think if I walk into a restaurant with you and we get stares. Certainly don't mind a physical confrontation if it comes down to it. Yes, you surprised me, but it wasn't because you're a Faunus. I already like you, Blake. The idea of going further doesn't deter me, it actually kind of makes my heart flutter. I want to do this. I want to be with you."

Blake's smiled widened, tears receding back into their ducts. The Faunus squeezed back on Yang's hand as the blonde released her grip, knowing that she wasn't going to flee. "I assume you've put more thought into this than the damaged pretty girl needs a shoulder to cry on."

Yang smiled at the jest of the Faunus. The barriers of tension slowly being withdrawn. "You made me think about a lot of things. You'd be impressed, I assure you."

The two stood in the awkward, but pleasant, silence. Now with feelings reciprocated, Yang found it hard to look into the glowing amber orbs of her partner. Seemed the feeling was mutual as Blake caught herself turning pink from the admiration. The Faunus shuffled and, with a quiet voice, she innocently asked, "So, want to go get lunch?"

Yang was hungry, but was going to have this make up have closure. "Yeah. Just one more thing."

Using her free hand, Yang pushed the dark hair behind the ear of the Faunus. Gazing deep into her amber eyes, she locked target and slowly closed her eyes as she moved in. Yang smiled into the kiss as Blake matched her felicity and let out a small laugh as their lips brushed together. The blonde had partners before, but nothing was as electrifying as when she kissed the Faunus, her heart racing from the adrenaline of kissing someone meaningful. As their lips overlapped, Yang pulled her new Faunus girlfriend in closer, guiding her by the waist. Blake's free hand moved behind Yang's neck, almost hanging off it. With her partner in her embrace, Yang could feel the gentle warmth flowing into her, appreciating her small form fitting within her arms and the wild beating of her heart.

They separated to catch themselves before it got out of hand. With the kiss, Yang forged a relationship with Blake that she never considered before, but stronger than any relationship previous. She gave a quick up-down of her partner, the Faunus glowing in the presence of her crush. Yang kept her girlfriend's hand in hers as they descended to the mess hall. Not wanting to bring more male attention than either of them are used to, they took their meals to their room and enjoyed serenity as a couple. Yang didn't know when Ruby or Weiss would come back, but she found that some alone time was well earned from the both of them.

Yang was usually very aggressive when it came to romance. Physically, at least, but she had never pushed herself emotionally to this degree. Thinking back to the past seventy-two hours was a snowball effect of confusion and fear. Slumped up next to the bookshelf, a chicken bake in one hand and her partner in the other was a good way to rest the craziness she had to endure.

The sun crept through the curtains and Yang moved the two to the bed. The blonde found it weird to be sitting in Blake's spot as it wasn't her bed. The Faunus didn't seem to care as she snuggled opposite side of the window. She let out a small yawn.

"Tired?" Yang asked, knowing the answer.

"Long day, even longer night," Blake responded as she buried her face into Yang's shoulder. "Tried studying alone and memorize the material so I could beat you out of there."

Yang let out a small laugh to the answer. "Didn't think I'd put that much effort into studying, did you? Matched your pace."

"I hope you did and not put C for every answer to get to me," Blake quietly said as she was nesting into Yang.

"I didn't... for all of them. You could have gotten away, though. Why did you come back?"

There was a small silence as the beat Faunus was thinking. She tightened her one armed grip around Yang's waist. "I think, deep down, I wanted to be caught."

Seemed the fires of love stoked the brawler's aura as heat transferred from her to Blake. On cold days like this, Yang found her aura beyond useful. Today she found a new use for it, supporting Blake. The Faunus gave her appreciation of the warmth with a playful moan. Yang placed her hand on the one on her stomach, entwining their fingers. "_I won't let these go. I'll protect them... protect her._"

I know it's very rushed with how I brought the two together, but that's because I'll be going much slower and take time with the intricacies of dating and liking someone with White Rose. I find Bumblebee to be a far more mature when it comes to social and romantic implications than the younger duo, so we're going to have a lot of fun with Ruby and Weiss next time. Review, favorite, follow and have a nice day.


	3. Weiss: A Frigid Fighter

I do want to say, sorry to the Bumblebee fans cause we're going for some White Rose for the next couple of chapters. I do hope you stick around and like it regardless if it isn't you favorite pairing. Anyways before you start, I want to ask the audience a question. I was going to have blocks of two chapters per pairing (Y/B, Y/B, R/W, R/W, Y/B ect...) I like giving characters their own spotlight per chapter initially to get their feelings and emotions before I start intertwining them as a couple. However because of the way each couple is progressing, there will be a lot of back and forth in terms of time if I keep it the way I intended. In the reviews please add if you want it as is or would having it chronological from this point forward be better. Also again, thanks for the fav/follows and reviews and another shout out again to my artist Bakki on DeviantArt, who did a lovely White Rose picture for this chapter. Enjoy.

Weiss: A Frigid Fighter

The life of being a student in the passing months since the attack on her family's company were more than welcoming for the heiress. Attend class, train, study, repeat. The field trips to fight actual Grimm were a nice way to break up the routine. Least it wasn't crazed militia members of an unknown organization or the Faunus. After Blake's reveal of her Faunus ears, Weiss wanted to hang out more and get to know the other half of her team better. Once she was able to bury her prejudice, the idea of getting to know a Faunus and befriend one was a side goal outside of academia. Unfortunately, the one obstacle getting in her way at every opportunity was Yang. Weiss couldn't count the amount of times the two had gone out together, but it was frustrating when she was trying to get to know Blake as a teammate and the blonde would drag her out at every possibility.

Weiss couldn't help but feel slightly jealous as the two were progressing in their relationship. The fact she envied the most is that Yang seemed to put a smile on Blake's face so effortlessly that even Weiss would turn her frown upside down with the brawler's teasing of the Faunus. Perhaps one day, if the two would get separated at the hip, Weiss could move in and hang out with Blake. Till then, it was her, textbooks, and her partner, Ruby.

Weiss could tell by the way Yang and Ruby act they they were related by blood. Where as Yang was a more outgoing and flirtatious type, Ruby was slightly harder to crack until she was her energetic optimistic self. Being her partner for six months was enough time for the young leader to be her full self around the team. Weiss was no pessimist, but the openly cheerful nature of her partner was tearing at times.

With Yang and Blake gone for just about every event, Weiss was left with Ruby. The heiress had an inkling that the bigger sister was forcing the two to be together. The white-haired girl wasn't against it, everyone needs to learn how to make friends, but Weiss took her studies seriously. When Ruby is messing about and not taking the exams earnestly is when she starts to get irritable.

"I swear, if you don't stop trying to balance pencils on your fingertips I'm going to throw you out of this room. Bury yourself in these pages," Weiss growled. The girl in the red cape dropped the pencils to the wooden table with a small clatter. Ruby face planted into her book, meshing the hair into her pages.

"There. Is this what you want?" the younger girl sarcastically said. Weiss' prominent scowl grew even more as she saw her request be taken literally.

"Unless you're using osmosis and absorbing the information through your thick skull, then no. Come on, Ruby. Take this sincerely. I know you're a brilliant kid. It's why you're here so young, but we need to study. Grades don't come from sitting around doing nothing," the ice princess lectured.

Ruby begrudgingly grunted as she rose from the textbook. "I know, Weiss. You can stop nagging me. We've been doing this since noon. It's four-thirty. I'm bored. You only can look at black text on a white background for so long. Look at our notes too. I say we earned a small break."

Weiss couldn't help, but feel the weight of her own fatigue as Ruby pointed it out. Definitely didn't know what time it was in their windowless study room in the library. If it wasn't for the box of cookies Ruby brought, she would have missed lunch too. "Fine. What do you propose we do? You got fifteen minutes."

"Forty-five minutes."

"Half an hour."

"Done. Come on, pack up your things. I don't know about you, but if we come back to this room, I'm setting it on fire. We'll just study in our room after," Ruby proposed.

Weiss agreed. The boring white panels, whiteboard, white paneled table were staring to meld together. Only the chairs and floor were a dark hue of gray. Ruby and Weiss walked back to there room, dropped off their stuff, and the two headed outside to the Beacon courtyard. Ruby suggested a walk around the campus. She was sick of sitting. Even Weiss had to admit that her legs were stiffening from not moving around too much. The heiress took studying seriously. Being a child of a wealthy and prestigious family meant you had to adhere to a certain standard. Luckily, Weiss was a natural at school, but being top ten percent was considered a disappointment to her parents and worked harder to become number one. When she mentioned she wanted to become a huntress, her parents laughed at the idea until they put into focus of people like Pyrrha. Schnee was a household name, but never had a face to the company. Weiss didn't want to think the reason she's at Beacon is solely because her parents wanted to groom a celebrity huntress, but she didn't live in fairy tales.

When Ruby asked for a break, she was more reluctant than she realized. At times, she felt her grades meant more to her parents than her, so slacking off like this felt slightly rebellious, but more importantly, free. Freedom was the definition of Ruby. She seemed to do what she wanted with no restrictions. Through perseverance and skill, she was one of the marvels of Beacon. Weiss envied the spirit of her leader. She could have been a baker and no one would have batted an eyelash. But it's the same spirit that she is helping Weiss with her own goals.

Ruby took Weiss to the gardens. Seemed every prestigious academy had a place to sit down and enjoy nature. Even though her home had a garden that could rival Beacon's, she never had someone to enjoy it with. Ruby, obviously, had an affinity for roses. It was against the rules to pick flowers from the garden, but Ruby couldn't help herself and snip one from the flora from time to time to brighten up the room.

Ruby took a deep inhalation of the garden around her. "Feel the amazing sensations of smelling a dozen bushes of flowers, Weiss. Certainly made my mood better."

Weiss took small sniffs with her petite nose. "I actually just smell the fertilizer," Weiss depressingly said.

Ruby reached out and dragged her friend to where she was standing. Weiss wriggled her hand out of her grasp out of embarrassment. She hated being reared like a child. "Come on. One more time," silver eyes twinkling.

Weiss tried as ordered, but still wasn't feeling the wonder that her partner was sensing. "Now it's just air. Come on, Ruby. Let's just go back. I'll get some tea and we can smell the soothing aroma of..."

The heiress was cut off as she was blinded by a pair of small hands. She let out a small yelp at the surprise, but considering it was just Ruby, she decided to play around. "What's with this, Ruby? Seriously get off me."

"Relax. It's time you stop and smell the roses." Weiss' muscles relaxed and tensed up again as Ruby's chest pressed up against her back. The heiress forcing herself to suppress the blush making its way to her cheeks. The caped girl didn't let go of the wriggling one and pressed harder into her embrace. "Relax, Weiss."

The ice princess submitted, standing still as the leader placed her chin on the slender shoulder. Feeling the warm breath of Ruby's exhalation on her shoulder made it almost impossible to focus on anything other than keeping her heart rate down. With extreme concentration, Weiss was able to follow Ruby's request. "Alright, you win. Can you let go now?"

"Not yet. I blinded you for a reason. With one less stimuli, I want you to concentrate on the others," Ruby whispered in her ear. "Also, can you not frown while doing this? I can feel your eyebrows furrowed." Weiss did as she was told. She let the fight for sight go and concentrated on the smells around her. The heiress could feel Ruby's grip loosen as she was fixating on the scents, her leader suppressing giggles as she took a deep intake of the area.

"I-I smell something. It's pleasant."

"What's it smell like?"

"It's very sweet. Soothing, but very familiar... Wait a minute." Weiss was able to break free of Ruby's loosened grasp, spin her around, and cuff her wrists. Icy blue eyes glared down at the silver ones, scared at the flipped situation. "Ruby, you used my shampoo, didn't you?"

Ruby's eyes darted at the accusation, still not diverting back to Weiss' as she answered. "Perhaps..." she meekly got out. Weiss was around Ruby long enough to know when she was lying. To further criminalize the younger girl, the heiress got closer and took a couple more good sniffs.

"You totally smell like vanilla. Why didn't you ask me first before using it?"

"I woke up before you. You look very peaceful when you sleep and I thought if I used the minimal amount to wash my short hair you wouldn't notice," Ruby confessed. Her big, silver eyes, truly sorry for her minor transgression, were glistening with a small layer of fluid. Weiss' cheeks tinted at the charm of the puppy-dog eyes, body tensing again as she was mesmerized by the beauty. Before admitting to any of the attributes, Weiss flicked Ruby's forehead.

"Ow," the leader cried out, rubbing the spot tenderly.

"Ask next time. Let's go back. It's about time." Weiss proceeded out of the garden when Ruby grabbed her wrist again. the snow-haired girl turned to address the ball and chain.

"Come on, Weiss. Blake and Yang do so much together. It's not every minute studying and then see each other till the next session. I know we see a lot of each other because we're partners, but can we at least have a little fun today."

Weiss couldn't help, but see her point. Yang and Blake don't just act like partners, but friends. Something that was foreign to the heiress. Because she didn't know too much about being a good friend, only a good colleague, she figured that abiding to the leader's request would only be beneficial. "Fine," she said through rolled eyes. "I want full attention tomorrow, though. We'll have one of those slumber parties since the other two are at an Achieve Men concert."

Rudy's eyes lit up at the decision. "Come on. It's only five. Let's kick back and watch the clouds." Ruby scrambled to the manicured, grassy lawn, patting the ground to have Weiss come sit next to her. The two sat on the grass and stared at the glorious nimbuses coasting in the skyline. Weiss was smart enough to know that none of the clouds looked like what they said they were, but were projections of what they wanted them to be. The heiress couldn't help, but be concerned at all the clouds were reminders of her partner. Cookies, a scythe, a rosebud, and even a puppy's face were some of the many visuals that were trademarks of her partner. Weiss lied to Ruby on what she was seeing. No doubt she would never hear the end of it if she knew the heiress had her on the mind.

As the sun was setting, the girls got ready for their slumber party. Weiss had a single rule of no cookies, but real food as lunch was mainly the chocolaty snack anyways. Ruby couldn't have been more deflated, but it was no secret that Yang kept some snacks under the bed. No doubt that the both of them would partake in the stash for some dessert. The two got in their pajamas and started having one-on-one girl time. Luckily, since they've been in school, finding time to go down to Vale's old town and catch a movie was difficult. Since then, plenty have come out for the two to enjoy in the dorm room.

Fighting for which movie to watch was hard, but not impossible. Ruby liked mindless action, whereas Weiss liked movies with more restraint and had at least some theme to it. About three movies in, Ruby was starting to nod off. Weiss was invested enough into the movie to finish it to the end. She usually hated when the girl was shoehorned into a plot to simply be the romantic interest, but the characters were likable and had good chemistry. As the story was finishing, she felt the void of someone meaningful in her life like that. She looked down at her partner, dozed off by her accounts.

"_I wish I had someone to call my own. Then again, I just made actual friends. Friends that would take a hit for me, friends that would give an organ... friends that would take me out of my freakishly rigid comfort zone to watch movies all night with me._" She looked down at her team leader. Already tired her energetic self out for the day and resting calmly on her shoulder. "_I owe a lot of thanks to you. If I didn't stumble upon you in the Emerald Forest, I wouldn't be here right now. I wouldn't be happy._" A draft of wind entered the room. Weiss closed the window the best she could without waking her partner. Feeling the cold herself, Weiss wrapped her arm around the sleeping Ruby, keeping the heat between them. Weiss decided she'd leave once her leader was sound asleep. She closed her eyes only to reopen them at the sound of the door slamming.

Weiss came out of her slumber to hear the other sister come in with Blake. "Admit it. You liked coming out to a big loud event filled with people screaming lyrics to the Achieve Men."

Blake smiled away from Yang, clearly not wanting for the blonde to have the satisfaction of showing her a good time. "It was a different kind of fun, but lets make them few and far between." Blake looked up, pink tint on her cheeks to see Weiss' crystal eyes peeping open, adjusting to the bedroom lighting.

"Hey, Weiss. Sorry to wake you up. Why are you in Ruby's bed?" Blake inquired.

Yang zeroed in on the plastic wrappings on the floor, picked it up and sniffed the wrapper. "And why did you girls go through my private stash?"

Weiss' brain was more alert and ready to snap back. "Your stash isn't so secret, Yang. Ruby found it first week. I'm up here because me and her were watching movies and we must have fallen asleep. Sorry to eat the snacks, though." Weiss felt a warm moisture on her shoulder as she moved to get out of the bed. She looked over to see a glopping drool puddle on her blue nightie.

"Eww! Get off me, you dolt," Weiss screamed, waking up a frantic Ruby, who was getting shoved to her wall. Weiss leaped off the bed and got a handkerchief out of her drawers to wipe away the spit.

"Wha-what happened?" A very tired Ruby barely got out.

"You drooled on me. I got to change," Weiss announced as she stormed into the bathroom with clean sleepwear. Weiss took off she singlet and lightly washed the spittle away.

"_I swear. She takes one step forward and then two steps back in my opinion of her. Calm down, Weiss. It was an honest mistake, even though her playful antics causes a lot of those to happen._" Weiss put on her spare pajamas and looked back into the mirror. "_Whomever ends up dating Ruby Rose better be flexible in how they live._"

* * *

><p>A few weeks had passed since the slumber party. Weiss got over being mad the next day and studies resumed as usual with another Oobleck exam on the horizon. The heiress had to admit that history was about as interesting as a wet rag. During study sessions, she would get caught up with Ruby and her antics to make the subject tolerable. However, playing around put them behind schedule slightly, leaving a small amount of information left before they could review properly.<p>

Weiss went to get some brewed tea in the mess hall. When she woke up this morning, she knew she would need the soothing feel of chamomile. It was going to be a long night. As she was approaching her dorm, she saw a sight that she didn't think she would see. Yang had her face in her palms and was crying. With Ruby on the bed next to her, Weiss didn't see the need to intrude. For all she knew, it was a family moment and it was best to stay out of it, until she realized what it was really about.

"Out of nowhere, Blake kissed me," Yang confessed.

Weiss almost dropped her cup and saucer at the admission. "_She what? I'm not normally one for rumors or gossip, but the truth in Yang's voice. She sounds so... conflicted._" Weiss was on the emotional roller coaster with the other two. As the blonde continued, Weiss felt so close to her teammate, even though there was a wall separating them. Hearing Yang gush about the Faunus was so familiar to her and Ruby's relationship. Thinking about her partner as anything more than what she was did sicken her, but almost thought it was supposed to happen. "_Look at Jaune and Pyrrha. Green eyes sought out boy wonder for whatever reason. We could have been the perfect team. It's no secret that Blake was looking for Yang in the Emerald Forest and look at where they seem to be heading. Ren and Nora is up in the air, but knowing a boy's mentality, a spunky redhead is probably not a deal breaker. Does that mean, Ruby and... No. We can't be that close, can we?_"

When Weiss was broken out of her inner thoughts, she came in to point out the obvious to the sisters. So many conflicts with the Faunus and The White Fang organization gave a real world perceptive at an early age. Unfortunately, it did give her the unhealthy prejudice for a race that just wants to be treated equal. If anything, this was her first step in rehabilitation, helping the Faunus get a human girlfriend. Weiss had to admit she wasn't as fond of the idea as she was inclining. It's nice and quiet in the room. Waking up to the passionate sounds of lovemaking was not something she was looking forward to, but who was she to deny the Faunus love.

Yang begged to help her study for the test. Weiss knew how much they had to do, but if they were to take a vote, she would soundly lose. With the promise of both girls' attention, she worked with Yang. She was amazed that the blonde would be so determined to get Blake back. Granted, it was the Faunus that kissed first, but it seemed to have awakened the fire in Yang. Maybe it was because she never studied with her, but the blonde was resolute.

The ladies studied well into the night. Weiss had to give props to Yang for almost memorizing the material her and Ruby had so carefully constructed. Weiss couldn't imagine the stress being put on her in bringing the team back together, but she saw it in Yang's emotions as she was starting to nod off. Ruby sent her to bed. When she could hear the small sounds of snoring, Weiss felt free to talk.

"Your sister is something else, Ruby. I know Yang isn't stupid as she is in an academy, but she always gave off the vibe that barely passing is alright with her. Didn't think she could commit like this," Weiss admitted.

"I know my sister gives off that vibe, but you should know by now how far she'll go for one of us. Well I guess she only stretched her neck out for me and Blake, but no doubt she wouldn't do the same for you now," Ruby assured.

"I'm actually sort of jealous of Blake. I know I shouldn't have eavesdropped earlier, but it gave me a little window into who your sister is. Sounded as if she would go the distance to get Blake back even if she didn't have feelings for her," Weiss said, downtrodden in her utterance.

Ruby picked up on her teammates tone. "Weiss, could you be looking for that special someone?"

The white-haired girl blushed a bit at their leaders perception. She turned away from the girl into her own notebook, unable to look the young leader in the eye. "You could say that. Now that I know what friendship looks like, I kind of want to know something even deeper."

"If we knew each other back then I certainly would have been your friend." Ruby put her hand on the other's shoulder. Weiss initially jumped at the touch, but smiled as she felt Ruby's warmth rub off on her.

"That's nice of you to say, Ruby, but I can name two people who would have been against you, my mother and father. Let's say that I was given friends. Friends that were pre-approved by my parents, friends that were sons and daughters of prominent investors... friends that I had no real connection with. You turn very cynical at a young age with my upbringing. Once you shatter the illusion your parents put up you turn... cold."

A small shiver went up Weiss's spine as Ruby slid down her arm and grasped her hand. "You're not the only one you had trouble making friends. They were few and far between for me. It wasn't a point of not being sociable, but I did find it easier to work with weapons than people. Then I entered Signal and I knew that if I really wanted to become a huntress that I would have to really had to sit down an concentrate. I want to blame Uncle Qrow for my social lameness, but he taught me how to build Crescent Rose and wield it properly enough to be Beacon material. It's how I grew so fond of weapons. A few mean-spirited remarks and there I was back in the shop working on her. However, you know the endgame was really nice. It led me to you."

Weiss looked down a the silver glistening eyes on Ruby, accented by the dim light of the study lamps on the bookshelf. The heiress could feel the heat in her cheeks as Ruby clasped the back of her hand, flustered completely at what her body was involuntarily doing. The young girl smiled sincerely at the comment. Weiss quietly disapproved of what her body was doing and put back on her scowl.

"I told you life is not a fairy tale. You act as if it were destiny we were to meet and be friends," Weiss scolded as she took her hand back. "Don't get me wrong, I can think of a worse scenario. Could have been partners with Cardin and the rest of those ruffians. I would like for you to take a look at this team, though. The only one that's functions well socially is your sister. I'm callous, Blake's anti-social because of her being a Faunus, and no offense, but you're a spaz."

"None taken. So... going to take a leap here. If there were no friends, there were probably no boyfriends either," Ruby shyly asked. The question piqued Weiss' interest.

"What's with this poking into my private life?" the heiress sternly asked.

"Come on. We never have girl talk. Almost all of our conversations are about school. I doubt Blake fell for my sister because of her knowledge of the weak spot of a Boarbatusk is on the unarmored side of its belly. Yang and her probably talked about themselves, got to know each other, and became closer. You talk about envious relationships, I'm envious that they could be so close. Let's face it. If I were to order down where I stand to you, I honestly think that classmate and partner come before friend."

Ruby's genuine admission did strike a chord in Weiss. Perhaps it was because their teammates were going through their own troubles that this discussion was even brought up, but she was glad it was. Weiss didn't like being cold, but it's always been hard for her to trust people who claimed they cared for her. The light snoring in the background did give a nudge in the direction Ruby wanted. The ice princess closed the notebook to Ruby's wish and rested her head on her closed fist.

"I hate admitting when you're right, but I really don't know much about you other than what's on the surface. We'll take a break for thirty minutes and have girl talk." Weiss couldn't help, but feel Ruby's relief when she heard her answer.

"Can it still be about boys?" Ruby excitedly asked.

"Sure. Relationships are hard to keep off the mind at the moment."

Ruby looked away, thinking of the question to not overstep the boundaries of her partner. "So if your friends were pre-approved by your parents, were any suitors also selected like that?"

"You catch on pretty quick. All of the boyfriends I had were sons of other companies for the sole possibility that if the heirs of company died, the beautiful white-haired widow would take control of their stake of the company. Pretty romantic, don't you think?" Weiss said with heavy sarcasm.

Ruby looked dishearten at the answer. Probably not expecting such a dismal response from Weiss. "They couldn't have all been bad guys could they?"

"I wouldn't demonize them like that. Well, some of them I would, but most of them were downright boring. Clearly been pampered their whole life, never wanting to leave from under the safety of mommy and daddy's money that they never learned how to treat a lady. Others bent over backwards just to serve me, not having a backbone or an opinion for themselves, which I found quite unattractive. Felt like they were sucking up to my parents more than me. And let's not forget the final batch of guys who just wanted one thing. Despicable." Weiss crossed her arms and snorted loudly. She can vividly remember each of their faces, thinking they were charming, when they were just being overaggressive.

"Sorry to hear that, Weiss. Maybe I shouldn't have brought it up," Ruby regretted. Weiss was quick to reassure her leader.

"Ruby, you were the one that suggested it. It's fine. I'll tell you when you've hit a sore spot."

Ruby seemingly jumped on the next question. "Did you kiss any of them?"

Weiss was thankful for the dim lighting as her face lit up red from shame. "_I hate girl talk,_" she thought. She took a few moments to answer, embarrassed by the admittance of her innocence.

"If you must know, Ruby, I never have kissed a boy, or anyone for that matter," Weiss almost silently admitted. "Not like any of them deserved one. I was able to trick most of them into saying I don't like kissing on the first couple of dates. The others, though... they were persistent. One left a mark on my arm because he was grabbing me too tightly. I threatened legal action if he didn't stop. One of the few times my parents litigious reputation came in handy. They backed off. I have never felt so vulnerable and weak."

"You better not think that now. I've seen you fight. Your style comes with the grace and beauty of a swan, but packs the sting of a wasp. Not to judge where you came from, but you seem to have fared a lot better than most," Ruby said slowly, choosing her words carefully to console the heiress. Weiss smiled. This was the first time she had opened up about something so intimate and the person listening was sincerely taking in the information, instead of using it to formulate negative opinions about her.

"Thanks, Ruby, but let's not kid ourselves. There will be a day where I will be the smallest, in every dimension, on the team. I would kill for Yang's height or Blake's healthy physique. If you keep drinking all the milk you do, you will no doubt finish and be a exquisite woman. Me... I've accepted me. I love my body, but it is... frail looking. If there was a silver lining to it is because then I learned fencing for protection. Definitely made me capable to defend against randy adolescents, then Grimm. Eventually it led me here, in a dorm lit by lamps, with a snoring blonde woman, a Faunus and my nosy leader digging into my love life." Weiss let herself smile at her predicament. Ruby let out a hearty laugh before stifling it for her sleeping sister.

"Well, take it for what it's worth, but I think you're wonderful and finding that special someone that you'll want to change for will come along," Ruby assured.

"I wouldn't bet on that. It's been me for a long while. I'm used to a certain way. Like, I don't think I could do anything that your sister is doing for someone else. I don't think I could change," Weiss depressingly admitted.

Ruby giggled before responding. "You clearly are in denial."

Weiss didn't like being told wrong and snapped back. "What do you mean?"

"In the short time I've known you, you changed for all of us. You live with three other girls in a small room, you've accepted being the best teammate instead of leader, you worked on your fighting style to accommodate me, and you've even let me study with you. I don't think you realize how much it means to me when you grab me coffee when I'm up all night studying or carrying some of the weight as I figure out this whole leader business. You're a beautiful person, Weiss, and you shine brighter everyday."

Weiss couldn't avert her eyes away from Ruby as she spoke so pure. The small round face smiling through her explanation of her own disaffirmation. "_She's right, for the most part, I haven't been changing for the team, though. All those changes were for... her. Anything to make the team run smoothly, to give her more confidence to live with the responsibility of being leader. Just as Yang has been doing for Blake, I have been rather flexible to accommodate my partner._" Ruby excused herself to use the restroom and left Weiss with her thoughts. "_It's more than that, though, isn't it? The reason I'm so hard on her is because I don't want someone too close, only to hurt me. Yang's a friend. Blake's a friend. Ruby... she doesn't feel like the rest and I've been lying to myself because I am afraid of the consequences. I deny my feelings whenever she grabs my hand, teases me, or compliments me. I changed a lot... for Ruby._"

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it and have a nice day.


	4. Ruby: A Leader's Love

Thanks to everybody to read and commented. I read them and will make a decision in the next chapter on how I will structure this. As for right now, we're staying the course with some more White Rose, time to hear from the final perspective of love from our fearless leader. Again I can't thank Bakki on DeviantArt enough for my art, expect another Bumblebee pic with the next chapter and thank you to all of you who review, fav and follow. Keep up the work and enjoy.

Ruby: A Leader's Love

"Rule one, as long as Ruby and Weiss are in the room, the bed is for sleeping only," Weiss decreed in front of the new couple. Ruby was standing next to her. Weiss preferred that the leader ought to be on her side when propositioning the new dorm room rules. She couldn't help, but agree more as Weiss mentioned that certain noises could come from the other side of the room. As Weiss listed off the first rule, Yang was the first one to take offense.

"Oh, come on. This is the only private place were we can do it and you girls barely leave. Doubt Blake is down for public play." Yang took a small pause and whispered loud enough for the smaller members to hear. "Or are you alright with..."

Blake didn't give her the time for Yang to finish her sentence. "Absolutely not."

"See. Absolutely not. Come on, Ruby. You can't agree to these rules, right?" Yang appealed to her sister, who was already on Weiss' side. The heiress nudged her partner to speak up to the blonde.

"Yang, I-I really don't want to hear any noises at night. It is cringing to think of the idea of either of you letting out a moan or the sounds of lips to bare flesh or..." Ruby was cut off with Weiss' hand over her mouth. She knew she was going to embarrass herself if she continued.

"Girls, I may have wrote these rules, but I had more than my interests in mind. I wanted Ruby to not be scarred by anything. She's your younger sister, Yang. Even you would have to agree if you were her shoes, it would be awkward." Weiss handed over the list for the couple to look over. "I am not some dictator. If some changes can be made, I'll be flexible on them."

"Well, I can already tell you that number fourteen has to go. Really, no flirting there, Princess?" Yang sardonically pointed out.

"Weiss, I told you to take that one off. Yang's touchy feely with all of us. Can't ask her to stop being her," Ruby said with empathy towards her sister.

"Fine. I'm sure Blake also is siding against me." Weiss crossed her arms, glaring at the couple who were taking a pencil and modifying the list.

"Defiantly couldn't stop Yang from hugging," Blake pointed out.

"Or you from cuddling. Never thought you would be so cute and intimate, girlfriend. Don't think I don't notice you take a long whiff of me whenever you bury yourself in my neck," Yang said with a devilish smile. Seemingly letting the cat out of the bag, Blake mimicked Yang with a small hue of pink in her cheeks.

"You have a... pleasant scent," Blake stopping herself mid sentence before revealing too much. "Or just could be those overly expensive shampoos. Pheromones are chemicals after all," Blake jested, checkmating the blonde.

"Oh, someone thinks they're clever. You are so getting a hickey that your uniform can't hide tonight," Yang retaliated.

"No hickeys while we're in here," Weiss pointed out.

"But light kissing is alright." Ruby piped up. "I'm making a small amendment to rule one."

"Are you sure, Ruby?" Weiss glared.

Ruby brought Weiss down to her mouth by the red collar, whispering just loud enough for her to hear. "We can't be so parental to our teammates, especially when one is my older sister who is very used to breaking the rules or bending them to her advantage. I don't mind the small pecks here and there. I thank you for looking out for me, but it's actually really sweet to see Yang this happy with someone."

Weiss didn't have to like the answer, but she seemed to accept it as she backed away, fuming as the couple were slowly getting their way. Ruby stood next to her stoically as Yang and Blake kept her attention. Each word they said, each expression they made, and each intimate gesture they acted on was being analyzed by the young leader. She felt a twinge of yearning in her heart. "_I wish... no, I want that. Yang's usually happy, but she doesn't even feel like she's putting effort into smiling. Blake was probably tied with Weiss as the person who smiles least, but she can't stop giggling. Yang isn't saying anything and Blake has a toothy grin just by looking into her eyes. It's like they are having a private conversation with each other. Must be really good jokes... or it's probably something deeper._"

The team came to an agreement, mostly because Ruby was being as lenient as possible from the ice princess' oppressive rules. Ruby didn't dare mention the real reason for her changing her stance to more middle of the road. She was completely curious about romance. Seeing how much it changed Blake was the tipping of the pendulum to give her the chance to observe the two at least in a controlled environment, without it getting graphic. The weeks passed and all the observing was doing was making the short-haired girl feel lonely. The optimism inside of her subsiding as she saw the new couple function at their highest capacity.

The physical aspect intrigued Ruby often. She felt the same as Weiss, like she's missing out on something. She would catch herself touching her own lips, feeling the softness and imagining it reciprocated by someone special. Wondering about her own first kiss. "_How do you do it? What does it feel like? Who is it going to be with?_"

"Ruby. Ruby!"

The leader was taken out of her trance. A wild, white hand frantically waving in front of her face. "I uhh what? So-sorry Weiss. I just..."

"What you're doing is faffing about and wasting precious study time. I was checking up on you to see how long you would keep it up. You've been lost in thought for a good ten minutes," Weiss yelled with ire. Ruby was still dazed, processing the fact that she had been thinking about kissing for such a length that it was officially becoming a distraction. In her daze, Weiss placed her hand on Ruby's shoulder, eyes showing concern. "I'm sorry for snapping, but you really have to tell me what is wrong. I've noticed this for awhile now."

"If I tell you, will you please keep it between us," Ruby pleaded.

"I think we've had enough girl talk to trust each other at this point."

Ruby took a deep breath and collected her thoughts. "Yang and Blake, I see them going out, kissing, having such a great time, and I feel like I'm missing out. Took me so long to get a friend that it's scaring me a little that I may find it harder to find a romantic partner. It all seems wonderful."

"When did you turn into the main character of Blake's smutty romance novels? I know I admitted I was envious of Blake, but something your sister and her might have is rare. But judging from how your sister used to go through dates, I say this one is far stronger than most. But take it from me, Ruby, the dating game is a lot of headache with no benefit when you keep getting set up with trash. It's a lot of time, effort, and heartbreak. It's fine to want the experience, but what you're looking for you probably won't find as quick," Weiss explained.

"I know you had a lot of trouble with boyfriends, but it can't be all that bad," Ruby rebuttaled

"But. It. Can." Weiss pronounced each syllable with hate filled emphasis. "If you gave me all day I can regale you of all the dates I've been on and how each one perpetually disappointed me further than the last. Most people have their own motives, Ruby. For me, they wanted my money, status, and for sex. For you, it could be your fame, skill, and the corruption of innocence. People our age... we really are selfish."

"But it's not weird that I'm feeling this way, right?" Ruby quietly asked.

"No. I always forget that you're a couple years younger than us, even though you're our leader. You're just at that age. I doubt it's more than a curiosity, though. And the whole kissing part, trust me, every single person is thinking about that to a degree. I'm surprised it's hitting you now," Weiss posed inquisitively.

"I guess... Crescent Rose was a good way to distract me from love. I know enough about Grimm and my weapon, so learning about something new is exciting. I want it. I want it more than anything now." Ruby's eyes now gleaming, able to release the pent up frustration and be truthful to her romantic desires.

Ruby looked over after her triumphant confession to see Weiss with a perplexed expression. "So... going to take from it you want someone special to go out on a date?" Ruby got a hint of red tint on her cheeks for the childlike antics. She simply nodded at Weiss' question. The heiress placed her fingers at the bridge of her nose, letting out a deep sigh. "I am going to regret this. I know it. Ruby, will you let me take you out on a da-date?"

Ruby's mind kickstarted at the idea. Eyes growing bigger and she cupped Weiss' hands in hers. "Really Weiss?"

"Don't get the wrong idea." Weiss straightened out with cheeks flushed. "I'm only doing this so I can get you back into studying. Hopefully you can get this fascination over with."

Ruby didn't let go of Weiss' hands. Hearing the words 'date' juxtaposed with 'Weiss' was enough to keep heron cloud nine. Peering into the icy blue eyes was a scowl that melted into a small smile as Ruby kept beaming at the anticipation. For a moment, Ruby felt the warmth from the heiress' heart transfer to her as her heartbeat increased. She had never felt this feeling before, comfortable in the silence of her gesture. Weiss soured the mood with a quick cutback and returned to her usual scowl.

"Let's get back to studying and make up some lost ground. I can cancel anytime. Just be glad you get to go out with someone you kind of like. I'll be back. Need some tea." Weiss left in a flustered fashion, leaving Ruby with her own thoughts on the situation.

"_Going out with someone I like... I think I might have found her._"

* * *

><p>The semester ended and Weiss was delivering on her promise. Ruby sat on her bed, losing her mind with the idea of fun that's awaiting her. She couldn't wait for Weiss to turn off the shower, knowing that the date is just less than an hour away after that. "<em>Control yourself, Ruby. Weiss wouldn't want your usual overzealous self, but I'm so excited. I know it kind of feels weird that it's Weiss and all, but it's either her or I go meet other students. I have enough people in my life between our team and team JNPR. Jaune is kind of cute, but Weiss... I can't explain it. I wish I wasn't too shy to talk to Yang about romance. I'd rather save my cheeks from the constant pinching or being smothered in her chest from how 'cute' it is to see me grow up.<em>"

The humming of the shower turned off and replaced with the obnoxious sound of the hairdryer running. "_I am really glad Yang is not here, or even Blake. I don't want them to see me all embarrassed and excited at the same time. I can imagine Yang taking a picture and making it a background on her scroll for awhile or worse. Yang is protective of me. It's great. I'm not complaining, but I don't want her and Weiss at ends if she finds out she took me out once,_" Ruby taking a large gulp, "b_ehind her back. Yang, please forgive me for doing this without you knowing, but I want to be grown up right now... I can't be a child forever._"

Ruby was tired of being tended to. Sure, she does a lot of childish things like eat cookies, loving the idea of bunk beds, and instills a lot of energy, but she knew her capabilities on the field and as knowledge as a huntress are close to expert level. It hurts the worst when Weiss would bring it up. Yang's allowed to treat her as a little sister till the end of time, Blake has been very accommodating and easy with Ruby's antics. Weiss, however... She hates the fact that a few scoldings from the heiress was able to get her to stop making faces when Professor Port turns his back. It's partially why she has been so aflutter for the date. Ruby always saw dating as a gateway to adulthood, something even Beacon's prestige couldn't fill. Weiss was finally seeing her as an adult.

As the bathroom door opened, Ruby scrambled and pressed her battle skirt down, smoothing out the wrinkles, looking presentable for the beauty exiting. The young leader was dazzled by the fresh appearance of the heiress. Her white, contrasting battle skirt with hair tied in her asymmetrical ponytail. "You look great," Ruby barely got out.

"Thanks, but it's the normal getup. To be honest, didn't really think about packing any casual dresses for going out when I came here. I kept it to the essentials with the limited space I would get." Weiss went to the door and promised to be quick. Seconds later there was a knock. Ruby ignored it as Weiss would have passed by the visitor as she left. The knocks didn't stop and only got heavier and quicker. Ruby's curiosity peaked enough to open to see a very cross heiress.

"I'm really confused, was I supposed to open it?" Ruby confoundedly asked.

"No, I forgot my wallet. On second thought, I'll just stick with what I have on me. Yang seems to do fine with whatever she does with Blake."

Ruby almost panicked when she remembered Yang and Blake could be back on the airship any minute and catch her in the act. "Yeah, whatever you have is solid. Let's just go."

"Fine, then. Grab my hand," Weiss said, extremity outstretched. Ruby couldn't resist anymore and latched on. She suppressed her excitement enough to walk the same pace as her date, instead of dragging her to the airship station. She couldn't help, but mesmerize the slimness of Weiss' hand, the slender fingers entwining with hers, small callouses from training with Myrtenaster mostly smoothed over with manicuring and lotion.

The midday sky was lovely for the weatherman to say it would be a snowstorm. She looked to the horizon and found that it would be a few more days away, but today was partly cloudy with a nice winter breeze. Cold enough to keep most inside, making for a perfect undetected walk through the main entrance onto the airship. Ruby calmed her anxieties down as now there was only one place left for Yang got catch her. "So... Weiss, where are we heading to?"

"A place where I had one of the worst experiences on a date ever, The Vale Pier. I was sort of hoping I could go back there and leave with a better memory than last," Weiss answered.

Ruby let a little bit of her giddiness "Oh my gosh. I haven't been since I was a kid. It was such a good time. All the rides and the ocean air. The island was too small for something that commercial so coming here for some fun was magical. This is great."

"Glad you got to have a good time. My experience was mostly standing around while he tried to prove his machoness in his trunks and shirt that was two sizes too small. Also, his thought of a romantic dinner was hotdogs and cola. We actually got food poisoning the next day." Weiss looked over to a slightly fearing Ruby and let out a small laugh. "I won't give you food poisoning. Don't worry."

Ruby smiled with her partner. While looking at the glorious view from the air, the two were having a light conversation about what Yang and Blake could be doing. Both are usually in their dorm room watching movies together and doing actions that Ruby wouldn't want to talk about. Eventually, they got down to the landmark Vale Pier. In Ruby's childhood mind, it was slightly better. Some of the flooring was beaten by the weather, stands were derelict, and some of the local color was too freaky even for Ruby's taste, but it was a heavenly paradise so long as she was with Weiss.

Weiss led Ruby to the periscopes to take in the majesty that is the ocean. After the few Lien from Weiss' deep pocket were used, Ruby was fine with looking at the waves crash against the beach. The loud thunder of the pure force of nature ever fascinating to her. The two talked of when they would face aquatic Grimm, battle strategies already forming in their minds. The heiress then mentioned they got back into the old routine of talking about school. Ruby laughed as her eyes were opened and changed the conversation to the time at the beach when her Uncle Qrow was sitting on a nest of crabs and was pinched violently while sunbathing.

As the conversation was winding down, the two walked hand-and-hand around the pier. The alleyway they went down was the game turn-stand aisle. The glowing neon lights and bright colors of the booths were dazzling to the young leader, taking her even closer to her childhood memory. "Now this looks almost exactly like my childhood. Can't tell you how much of my allowance was spent here just to win a big plush Ursa."

"I hope you know all of these are rigged. There is no skill involved except for the carnival worker's charm to keep getting people to put down their hard earned money to win cheap trinkets," Weiss said, attempting to deflate Ruby's bubble. However, the young girl would not be effected.

"Sounds like someone is sore that she couldn't win at any of these games," Ruby teased. Weiss glared down to the cheerful dark-haired girl.

"Like you're so good. You couldn't win any of these. The odds are against us," Weiss complained.

Ruby pulled on her date to beckon her to the game she mastered as a child. She brought the heiress to the lime green neon booth, sign flashing Riptide Ring Toss. Hundreds of bottles lined up in a square on a yellow table. The proprietor of the stand came up "If a plastic ring lands atop one of one hundred and eighty-seven green, glass bottles, you win a jumbo prize! You ladies up the challenge?"

"Yes, I am," Ruby happily announced as she dug five Lien out of her pocket. Weiss stood behind her, arms crossed, both captivated and annoyed at her date's positivity towards these fleecing games. Ruby was given three red rings. Judging from the diameter of the ring, from a distance, the rings looked smaller than the mouths of the bottles. Ruby took her time, sized up, and carefully set up for her first attempt.

"Ruby, just get his over with. There's no way..." Weiss clammed up as Ruby let go and sunk a ring around one of middle bottles.

"And we have a winner!" the carny yelled. Ruby didn't hesitate and picked the giant Ursa plush of her dreams. The young leader couldn't resist and she turned around to her date, mouth agape, with a smirk on her mouth.

"See. I got me a new fluffy friend here." Ruby handed over her other two leftover rings. "Give it a shot if you think it's so easy."

Weiss took a moment to contemplate, but snatched the rings out of Ruby's hand and put the same amount of concentration that she thought her date did. Two small clinks to the glass left Weiss' hand empty. "This is... I don't believe you."

Ruby rubbed up next to her holding the Ursa plush. "If it makes you feel better, that was a lot of Lien as a kid to get that good."

Weiss seemingly didn't listen and brought her wallet out of her inside jacket pocket. "I want nine rings, sir," she demanded as she pulled out more money.

Ruby felt her elation fall as she saw the display of obsession. "Weiss, I got it. You don't need to prove anything."

"But I do. Just sit back and watch me master this in minutes," Weiss commanded. Ruby didn't feel like arguing. She stood back, praying that the next ring would get her date a prize. Thirty rings later, Weiss had nothing to show for it except the weak consolation prize of a spider ring. The heiress stormed away before she could reach into her wallet again to bring out another five Lien. Ruby kept the low speed chase close as she was questioning her date's actions.

"Weiss, it's fine. We all get caught up in the game. It's alright to be ashamed," Ruby cried out.

The heiress stopped and turned to her worried date. "It's not that I lost my nerve in there. I knew what I was doing. It's just... back when I came here with my insufferable date, he tried and failed miserably like me. After seeing you pull it off so effortlessly, I thought that I could do the same and became increasingly frustrated when I couldn't. I feel as lame as him. I should be able to win something for my date."

Ruby saw a wound reopen from her past. She didn't know how to heal it, but knew how to seal it up again. She presented the Ursa to her teammate, now confused as to what Ruby was doing. "Here. We can call this Ursa our win. If I really think about it, if you never took me here, I never would have bothered to come again." Ruby let out a small blush, averting her gaze as she presented her feelings with the plush. The leader couldn't see, but if she were to look at Weiss, she was beaming a healthy glow from Ruby's words. "I-I never met him, but you're probably better than that guy, anyways."

Ruby felt her hair get lightly shifted as Weiss played with it. She looked into the icy eyes gleaming with happiness. "Thanks, but I think the Ursa matches your sleeping mask. You have no idea how many times I thought a baby Nevermore was nesting in your bed."

Weiss grabbed her hand and promised the next stop Ruby would no doubt love. The pier wasn't big and she could guess what it probably is, but suspended her brain to be genuinely surprised where Weiss was taking her. As she was being walking around, she couldn't see what was awaiting her, almost thinking the heiress would use her money to bus something private into the pier. Ruby then stalled as Weiss presented her find.

"Here we are," Weiss announced. Ruby looked up at the sign that read 'Scoops Ice Cream & Treats'. The leader was holding in her appreciation for the gesture. Knowing Ruby for a day would figure out how big her sweet tooth is. Still, the young leader wanted to stifle the glee in her to keep the illusion of an adult that she earned to be on a date.

"Some ice cream would be delightful," Ruby said, ridding her tone of any felicity.

Weiss was confused that Ruby wasn't jumping up and down, so she slowly revealed her reason. "We aren't here for ice cream. Well, not entirely." The heiress walked Ruby inside and presented her with the sole reason for coming to the dessert store. "Take a look into the glass case, Ruby."

Ruby wasn't sure if her mind could take the elegant dessert that was inside the casing. Perfectly preserved for display was an eight inch chocolate cookie, topped with a single scoop of vanilla ice cream. She peeked around the back to see one being made. The center was perfectly gooey coming out of the oven, melting the ice cream evenly to reach the edges of the deep dish pan. Unconsciously, Ruby licked her lips, imagining the heavenly taste as it reached her tongue. "_I want it. No, I need it. Wait. Stop, Ruby. Pull yourself together. Adults don't goggle at sweets like it's the last bastion on the planet. Quietly say your gratitude and eat it respectfully._"

Ruby backed away and cleared her throat. "I would like that very much. Thank you, Weiss."

The heiress had a more perplexed look at the young leader who is having a very cosmetic expression on the dessert treat. "That's not quite what I was expecting from you. I feel like I messed up now."

Ruby put her hands to comfort the heiress. "No, Weiss. It's great. I can't wait to eat it."

"Then why the subdued expression? I saw your reflection in the mirror, Ruby. Your eyes were drooling over the thing," Weiss answered with ire. Ruby felt trapped, knowing that the ice princess had seen through her. She didn't know how to wiggle out of it, so she accepted defeat. Not wanting to start a scene, she quietly toned her voice so only Weiss could hear.

"It's just... I feel so adult right now. I'm out on a date, having a great time and I have been trying to keep it at that level of competency. It's been really nice to be treated like an adult for once and I thought that if I gave into my love of cookies it would revert back and you would resent me for ruining our good time." Ruby couldn't look Weiss in the eyes, embarrassed at her own sugar-loving nature.

"Ruby, that's nice of you to think about me, but the whole reason I did bring you here is for the pizza cookie. Do you do childish actions that get on my nerves? Yes. Do I hate it? No. I've looked past all those things because I know the real you, Ruby. It shines on the field when you lead. You are nothing short of flawlessness when directing us. Something no child could do, I assure you. It's not my business to change who you are or judge what you do when you relax. Right now, though, we're not on the clock and our grades aren't at stake. I want you to be yourself. I wouldn't have asked you out if I didn't like you for who you are."

Ruby reverted her gaze back to Weiss', the heiress grinning at the young leader, who regained her energy as her neurotics were washing away. Something Weiss said piqued her interest, Ruby picking up on the last sentence uttered. "I thought you asked me out to get rid of my fascination with dates."

"Don't be misconstruing my words. I also said I'm tired of going on bad dates. I wouldn't have even considered helping you if you're as childish as you think." Ruby noticed a small tint on Weiss' cheeks as she said it. Before Ruby could address it, Weiss was already in line readying to order their dessert meal. Ruby sat down at the table, wondering if Weiss had her own ulterior motives for asking her out on a date.

"_She did say people our age usually want something else. Perhaps Weiss maybe... argg. I can't tell. I never had any experience in this. I wish I was as bold as Yang when it came to relationships. I want to ask Weiss if she really likes me, but I don't have the confidence to react if she says no. Besides, those red tints aren't uncommon. She gets flustered very easily. Bury your assumptions, Ruby. Let's not jump to conclusions... even though I wouldn't mind if Weiss did take this more romantically._"

Weiss came back with the dessert and it was better than her imagination. She had to strain herself to split the pizza in exactly half, but Weiss could see Ruby's eyes were as big as dishes when she saw her nibbling at her half. The heiress rolled her eyes and let Ruby have the last few bites. Satisfied with some food in their stomachs, Weiss suggested to walk it off, but the Ferris Wheel was calling her since she saw the neon lights dance around the spokes. Weiss didn't want to ride something on a full stomach, but the line for the attraction was greater than a King Taijitu.

Ruby couldn't help but notice that most of the line was couples. She didn't want to acknowledge she was thinking about love too much, but maybe her brain unconsciously saw it and led her to the ride. As the two got on, each sat on opposite sides of the cart, Ruby remembering the day both of them became partners. She was thousands of feet in the air, hooked to the talon of a Nevermore at ends with one another. Ruby remembered the flashes of the beautiful Emerald Forest, but nothing compared to being at the top of Ferris Wheel with Weiss. The sun set behind the heiress, glowing rays accenting her albescent hair, porcelain skin, and ice blue eyes luminescent against the silhouette. Ruby was fighting herself to speak, to say anything meaningful. Comment on the beauty of Weiss instead of the scenery. Before Ruby could make a decision, the ride was over and the ocean winds coerced the girls back home.

As they reached Beacon's entrance, the two were still in high spirits as Weiss was breaking down the date. "See. It's really no different from hanging out, isn't it? So if you want to ever do this again, just ask. I know you have been having a good time. You can't stop smiling."

Ruby felt her cheeks hurt as Weiss pointed it out. "I did and thanks for taking me out. It was really courtly of you to treat me to this. It is kind of weird, though. The date's over, but we're heading to the same place."

Weiss laughed at the remark. "Usually this is the part where many of my dates thought they earned my affection and indirectly or directly asked for a goodnight kiss."

Ruby's eyes popped at the word 'kiss'. If there was any time to see what a kiss with Weiss was like, it was now. The young leader blurted out. "You earned it."

Ruby almost regretted saying it as Weiss stopped in her tracks and viewed with fright towards her date. The seconds felt like hours as the two were paused. Ruby felt her heart beat in her throat, unable to take back the words if she wanted to. "Th-thanks, Ruby," Weiss barely got out. Ruby panicked as she saw Weiss' hand rise towards her face. She threw caution to the wind with closed eyes and leaned into Weiss hand. The small extremity shaking, tips cold from the weather gracefully holding Ruby's cheek. She heard Weiss' boots creak closer. Ruby, anticipating a pair of lips on hers, puckered hers, unsure of how it be done properly.

She felt the hand release her cheek and a hard flick on her nose. "Ow," she said, brought completely out of her romantic trance.

The heiress, now using the same finger to wave in front of Ruby, waved back-and-forth. "Never kiss on the first date. If they are really interested, they'll come back and ask for more," the heiress chided, voice shaking as she scolded Ruby. She wanted to say forget the rules and pull Weiss in for something fierce, but Ruby passively acknowledged her date's advice. She wasn't about to make another one of Weiss' dates terrible because of a selfish argument of lip locking. Weiss beckoned Ruby to follow her back to the dorm.

"If-if it's alright with you, Weiss, I have something to quickly grab at the library. I think I lost my ID there. I'll be real quick," Ruby lied.

"Fine. I'll be getting ready for bed. I wish mother and father picked a later departure, but what are you going to do?" Weiss pointed out. Ruby went to the one place she knew she would be able to properly thank Weiss.

"_I swear, if she wasn't going home for a visit, I would have asked her tomorrow for a date. Doesn't matter now. Time to restratagize. Because I'm so bad at talking about how interested I am, I will show her._" Ruby made it to the Beacon garden, burying herself in the red rose bush, searching for the perfect one. She spent the better part of an hour analyzing each bud for one with the perfect form, color, stem, foliage, and proportion.

"I give up," she screamed to the sky, uncaring of how she looked with dirt on her hands and face. She clipped the stem off of the one that was almost perfect. "If it wasn't for the small tear on this petal, you'd be flawless."

As Ruby was walking back to her room, she repented what she had said earlier in the garden. She held the little rose to her face, keeping her field of vision from being obstructed. "I'm sorry, Mr. Flower. I know you tried your best to be perfect, just like the person I'm giving this to," she said tenderly as she remembered the large scar that ran down Weiss' left eye. Ruby tipped-toed into the room. Weiss was sound asleep on the bottom bunk. The sneaky girl checked her scroll to find a few missed texts from Yang. The older teammates were roaming the campus with the loving couple from team JNPR for some bevs.

Ruby found a large empty bottle from Weiss' dust collection and placed the rose delicately in there. She went over to the already packed luggage and arranged it in between some socks. Ruby quickly got dressed for bed and hopped up her nest with her journal to quickly pen in the wonderful day. She thought it would be impossible to forget a day this good, but writing out her feelings put them into perspective. "_Weiss is more than just a friend. I may not have experienced it before, but I know she is the one. I hope to grow the courage to ask her one day, but whatever happens next I can't wait for._"


	5. Blake: A Lesson In Romantics

Hey everybody. Thank you for all the support and love form the last chapter. I didn't even know I was close to 100 followers and hopefully we can break that goal with the next chapter. Anyways, I looked over the plan and I will be going in chronological order for the sake of keeping the story as jointed as possible. So I regret to inform that I'm going to shaft Bumblebee fans for a long time, but hopefully to smooth everything over I did make this chapter something special, something that alters the rating of this story. Please check out Bakki for another lovely picture in the near future. Also if I forget to change the rating, don't report me please. Just PM me. Be sure to fav/follow and review. I love reading them. Enjoy.

Blake: A Lesson In Romantics

A heavy storm rolled through Vale and blanketed the campus with light snow as winter was in full effect. Students were free to go home once the semester ended, but three quarters of team RWBY were stuck together. Yang and Ruby wanted to see their family, but with the both of them constantly together, it didn't feel like they left home anyways. Weiss went home for a week for business matters. Since their run in with Roman allianced with The White Fang, other large scale operations have been waged on the Schnee Dust Company. Some successful, others not so much, but she figured to go home and overlook damage reports of the family company. Blake felt left out as she didn't have a home or people to go back to. She left that all behind when she came to Beacon. If anything, there was a purpose staying on campus more so, her blonde girlfriend.

Three months passed since the kiss in the library. Blake was more than enjoying her time with Yang. Now that she didn't have to hold back her feelings, the first few weeks was more or less a really long make out session. With the pent up lust released, the Faunus was back to her reserved self. Only this time, she had Yang at her side, which came with its own set of trouble. Her girlfriend was more playful. Even if they were to say they have the same level of love for one another, Yang was far more expressive. Written notes in textbooks, hand holding through the halls, hugging, and brief pecks were fine with Blake, but Yang had a higher sensibility for showing affection.

When Blake and Yang became a couple, Ruby and Weiss thought it was fine for them to sleep in the same bed. This came after an extreme protest from the ice princess, who made up a litany of rules if this were to work out. Yang challenged those rules and together have broken each of them a couple of times. First one being 'As long as Ruby and Weiss are in the room, the bed is for sleeping only.' They have since moved to the top bunk as it got colder since Yang can't activate her aura while she is sleeping.

Even on vacation, Weiss still insists on having the alarms wake them up. Yang usually was unaffected by it, but Blake woke up on occasion, only to fall back asleep against her girlfriend. A couple hours later, the blonde snorer wakes up and unintentionally wakes the Faunus up every time. With nothing to worry about with the term being over, the two lazily would lie in the sheets, tentatively touching as they were coming out of their sleep.

The gentle humming of the shower was running as Ruby was washing herself. The lovers entwined and eyes idly gazing at the other. "Technically we wouldn't be breaking rule one since both of them are out of the room," Yang mentioned. "Good thing we're about to get changed. I'm about to soak those panties."

Blake smiled at the crudeness as no other could have used a line so confidently with such finesse. "Oh dear. You've melted my heart with your sweet words. Please take me, Blondie," she said with playful satire.

Yang planted a few kisses on her face. "Be as sarcastic as you want. It's certainly been working on you."

Blake couldn't deny it. She didn't know if the love made her crazy or it was the blonde's appeal, but her charm is unreal. Doesn't matter the awfulness of the lines, Yang's shining personality and sparkling smile had their way with the Faunus' heart. Deep down, though, Blake wouldn't have minded a more conventional romance. As much as she was enjoying Yang, it wasn't the stories that were in her romance novels. Even if she knew them to be unreal, and unbelievable, there was a sense of chivalry that Yang doesn't have. It's times when Yang says 'Sister's gone. Lets make out.' that she wishes, the blonde couldn't get away with such an easy quip.

Blake's thoughts were pushed aside as Yang got on top of her. Her long locks draping to one side as she pulled Blake in for a kiss. As the session got steamier, Yang's hands ran up the white thighs of Blake as the Faunus kept her hands at her partner's back, tracing the outline of her spine, her girlfriend arching into her with the delicate touch. Her waist was enticing, but its slimness, in comparison to her upper half, which was spilling on top of her, was far more inviting. Blake's eyes popped as the warmth of Yang's hands were under her robe and tugging at her panties. She gently pushed Yang away and gave a very scolding look.

Yang smiled and put her hand behind her head in embarrassment. "Is there a pick-up line that would remove those pesky panties?"

"Sorry, but no. In good time, Yang. I've never been easy to get."

"I can tell by the way I got you to admit you liked me," Yang laughed off as she remembered the events. "It's fine. So long as you keep feeding me breadcrumbs, I can still have the energy to keep the chase."

Blake smiled and gave her girlfriend a grateful kiss. "Thanks. I love you, Yang."

"I'm pretty fond of you too, Blake." The Faunus smiled at the casually reciprocation of her feelings. They continued for a time and as the two were in their moment, the shower turned off and they knew their time was running short. When they knew Ruby was going to be in the room shortly, they climbed off each other and got ready for their time in the bathroom. Yang went first as Blake sat and read while waiting. When the girls were freshened up, they made their way down to the mess hall.

Blake was still not used to the male attention they got when they were walking down the halls hand-in-hand. What the miscreants didn't know was that with her Faunus ears could hear their perverted comments. Yang tried something new today as she let go of her girlfriend's hand and lay it by her waist.

Blake didn't mind in private, but the last thing she wanted was for the boys to say anything more. "Can we switch back? I don't really want to repeat what the guys are saying, but I guarantee that you would punch everyone of them in the mouth."

"Hmm, what are they saying now?" Yang asked playfully.

Blake felt an alarming sharp pain on her rear. She looked behind her to find nothing. If it wasn't for the stifled laughter from Yang that Blake wouldn't have figured out what had happened.

"You have a death wish, don't you?" Blake said while giving a cold stare towards the blonde, who was almost dying at her own joke.

Yang knew when to stop and returned her hand to Blake's. As they got their food and sat next to each other, Blake was quieter than usual as she dug into her breakfast. She wasn't mad at Yang, just disappointed at the lack of gallantry. Yang wasn't dense and poked into the issue.

"Hey. Come on. I'm sorry."

"Yang, don't apologize. If we were in our room I wouldn't have cared. Probably would have pinched back. I've been thinking, though..."

"About what?" Yang said while feeding herself a spoon full of cereal.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I wouldn't mind if you were more chivalrous from time to time."

"Are you saying that I'm not romantic?"

"It's not that you aren't romantic. I am only wishing for you to be more conventional. I know we're students and it's hard to get off campus and do something, but we're dating and we really haven't been on a date yet."

Blake looked over to see a pouty Yang with her arms crossed. "I too am romantic. I sweep you off your feet with my own style."

"You do, Yang. You honestly do and I surprise myself how easily I fall for it. It's not that I don't like your style of romantics, but I wouldn't mind the classics every once in awhile," Blake explained her case. She saw the hurt in Yang's face and almost regret saying what she did. Before she could, Yang's face switched to serious.

"You got it."

Blake was surprised by the answer. "Got, what?"

"You want a conventional date with all the bells and whistles, then you got it," Yang said as she grabbed her girlfriend's hand and spoke lower. "I know you don't read those novels because they are the most intellectual read. You read them because secretly you wouldn't mind being treated so special, even if it's for a day. Give me a week. In one week I'll have done all the research I need to take you on a proper date. Not the usual hang out in our room and watch movies on the computer."

Blake saw the fire in her eyes. Seemed she was determined to make Blake's small wish come true. "Yang, you don't have to. Like I said it's just a..."

"I want to. You're kind of hard for me to read at times. I can tell my antics do push buttons harder on some days than others. Let me do this for you, Blake. You wouldn't bring it up if you didn't want it."

Blake sat there conflicted that she didn't want to change her girlfriend, but on the other hand, not squash the enthusiasm to do something so considerate just for her. Blake bit her bottom lip as she was thinking, looking in the eager eyes of Yang pushed the pendulum to a side. "If you really are alright with it, but I don't want you overexerting yourself."

"Pfft. I got this. Don't worry about me. Just be prepared for a date that you will never forget," Yang said with such vitality. Blake felt the warmth in her heart. She knew Yang to step it up in battle, but this is the first hurdle that she's had to handle as a girlfriend. A hurdle she doesn't have to cross, but is doing out of her own volition. Blake smiled big at the realization, Yang responding by pecking the Faunus, and resumed their meals.

As the two returned to their room, Yang didn't lie and got down to flipping through Blake's collection of books. Blake was smart, and at the beginning of the year, kept the more ridiculous and saucy novels in her suitcase under her bed. There wouldn't be any ideas for Yang to implement in those books anyhow. Yang took a bundle of books and was sitting there, quietly humming to herself as she was jotting down notes from the novels. Blake was below, reading her own, and was ecstatic with what was to come.

A few days passed and Yang was through four books. A notebook she kept was filled with enough ideas to write another novel altogether. Blake was enjoying a good read when she heard a scream come from above her.

"Yang, something the matter?" she said while poking her head up to see what was wrong.

Yang jumped off the bed and forced the Faunus to scoot over. "Oh my gosh, Blake. You got to listen to this."

Blake observed the book, but the writing inside wasn't text, but handwritten. "This was dated last week before Weiss left." Yang cleared her throat from the saliva building up from the excitement. "Weiss took me on a date today. She said it really wasn't anything special, that she was only doing this to rid my fascination with dating, but I have to disagree with her entirely. If this is what a date is, I had so much fun. Having never been on one, Weiss was so dignified, caring, and courteous that I don't think my first experience could have been better. Maybe she was not exaggerating in that she was on dates with lousy people. What Weiss really taught me is that, as long as the person you're going with isn't bad, then it can be awesome. As much as I was on the fence before, I think I may have fallen for her. I wish I had more of a backbone, though. I know she said no kissing first date, but her presence, her words, her beauty would be worth breaking that rule. I've been curious about kissing and Weiss earned one by taking me on such a wonderful date. It might be early, but I might be in love with my teammate."

Blake's mouth was agape as Yang read the journal entry. The blonde was almost bursting with happiness from reading the juicy story. "Wow, your sister... Good for her."

"More like good for me. Ruby has totally been hiding this from me. I'm going to tease her like no end, but more importantly, I get to play protective older sibling. Weiss gets to have a visit from Mama Yang." The blonde rung her hands together and smiling wildly as no doubt she was cooking up something for the ice princess.

"I am surprised. I didn't think you would be one to go through people's personal items," Blake said with concern.

"I didn't mean to. Honest. You know I grab at the shelf and I must have picked it up. Since I've read about four of these, I know to skip to the middle to start, because nothing that can help me is when they first meet. So I flipped open her journal and as I realized what I was reading, I laughed a bit. Ruby is my sister and her inner thoughts are adorable. Just to be nosy I did flip to the latest entry, and sure enough, it's my sister saying she's in love with Weiss. So cute. They work well together."

"They do. I almost feel like this is our doing. Before we got together, we sort of were excluding them from what we were doing."

"I will take credit for it. I was always afraid Ruby would fall for the wrong person, following unconsciously in her sister's footsteps. At least I know Weiss and she is a true lady with integrity. May not have been the first choice for her, but Weiss seems to have made her happy. Definitely made an impression on her on the date."

Blake smiled at the sibling love. She did see an opening for a tease however. "You know, I've been dating you for about three months and haven't been on a date. Your sister isn't even dating Weiss and was taken out from what she described is lovely."

Yang looked over with a moody scowl. Blake hid her laugh as she successfully got underneath the blonde's skin. "You think that was good? I'm gonna blow your hopeless romantic mind with what I have in store for you."

"Don't put my expectations too high. You're destined to fail," Blake digging deeper into blonde. Yang was one, when teased, will come back twofold. She tossed Ruby's notebook across the room and swiftly got on top of Blake. She inched her face slowly till the Faunus could feel her breath on her neck. The blonde inched slowly to her ear and whispered. Blake didn't dare repeat what Yang said, but as she backed away, the dark-haired girl was red in the face. Yang slowly moved off and went back into her bunk, leaving the Faunus with a blush that would rival Ruby's robes.

* * *

><p>The alarm woke Blake up again. This time Yang got up turned it off, but didn't come back to bed. The Faunus heard the door to the bathroom shut and assumed she was taking care of morning business and returned to sleep. The second time, she woke up, and was surprised to not feel the body of her partner next to her. Used to sleeping together, Blake found it weird to not be able to grab onto her partner's waist. She lazily got up and noticed a folder paper on her shelf. She let herself down and flipped open the note.<p>

Blake's mood was lifted by the simple few words on the inside.

"Be ready at five and stay hungry."

Blake let the note close, crumpling it slightly. She knew her girlfriend kept her word, and with the date upon her, was letting herself get giddy with excitement. The day was weird, however, as she continued with it normally. She hadn't realized how normal it was to walk around the campus with someone until she had no one. She didn't think she would unappreciate solidarity, but she wouldn't be surprised if Yang changed her in others ways.

As five rolled closer, Blake showered and gussied up, extra touches of makeup here and there. As she was alone, she was wondering where Yang was getting ready or where she had been all day. Blake had to give her props. The protagonist's love interest was usually mysterious. To pass the time, she sat down and read adventure as to not spoil anything her girlfriend could have taken out of her novels. She couldn't get through a page however without checking the time, counting down the minutes till Yang would show up.

Almost on queue, there was a knock at the dorm door. Blake had to stifle the excitement as she got up to greet her date. She opened the door to see a pile of red. She stepped back to see the full picture, a bouquet of red roses. The blonde lowered it enough to reveal her smirk as she saw Blake. "These are for you, milady."

Blake took the flower arrangement from the bottom of the vase, inhaling the sweet aroma. Based on the freshness, she could have guessed at one place she had been. "Thanks Yang. These are really lovely. I'll go put them by the window." The Faunus placed the flowers next to the usual crack in the drapes next to their beds. Blake couldn't see herself, but could feel her cheeks turn pink with a smile from ear to ear. As soon as she rejoined Yang, the blonde took her by the hand and lead her down the hall.

"So, other than the flower shop, where else have you been today?" Blake curiously asked.

"You know, places. You'll find out. I was just making sure they would be private."

Blake admired the effort and kissed Yang on the cheek from the planning. "You're off to a good start. So where we headed to?"

"I got some reserva...: Yang trailed off as they got to the entrance to the school. They stopped in their tracks and Blake followed Yang's focus. Weiss seemed to have returned with a suitcase in hand. She looked back to Yang, who was already wearing a devilish grin. "Blake. I'm going to have a little fun with the princess who has stolen my little sister's heart. Care to watch?"

Blake agreed. Deep down she always wanted to get back at the hurtful comments once said about her and the Faunus. Some nonviolent teasing for a good cause wouldn't be the worst to happen to Weiss.

Yang marched with Blake in tow and before Weiss couldn't say anything she had her back against the wall and the brawler almost touching faces. "Get off me, you brute. I want to get to my room and unpack. I had a long day traveling..."

Yang effectively shut the ice princess up as she trapped her by placing her arms on each side of her head. Weiss went from yelling to scared as Yang's eyes turned red. "I know what you did with my little sister."

Blake could see sweat form on the heiress' forehead as Yang caught her with the secret. Still trying to play it off, Weiss denied the truth. "I-I have no idea what you're talking ab-about. I didn't do anything."

"Don't play dumb. You're not good at it," Yang snapped back. "Know that I'm not mad, but you are in a very interesting situation. Seems my sister has taken a liking to you. If you choose to go further with her, I think it's important to keep in mind you will be her first. Her first kiss, her first love, and potentially her first heartbreak. If the latter happens, I will be there."

Weiss gulped as her face grew red as beads of perspiration were pouring from her. Blake could tell the semblance wasn't causing fire, but was heating up around Yang. "You treat my sister's heart with care. I hope we have an understanding."

Weiss nodded and Yang steeped away and made her way out the school. Blake had to catch up to her storming out. The Faunus was concerned up until she saw Yang was holding back laughter. As soon as they crossed the threshold, Yang thought it to be safe and let it out. "Oh, my gosh. I didn't think I would hold a straight face. Think I successfully pulled off playing the big sister for today."

The two headed to the direction of the town. "Never seen Weiss that intimidated before. You really got under her nerves."

"Please. The second I said I knew her secret, it was too easy."

Blake didn't want to admit how honorable it was to see Yang so protective of her little sister. She was already boosting with confidence. Anymore and it could burst her ego. As they got into town, they made it to a restaurant. A really famous seafood restaurant that Yang had made reservations. It was normally a more proper dress code, but the owner's daughter was a graduate of Beacon. Students were welcome in any attire at a discount. Blake had mentioned in a passing conversation she had wanted to eat here long ago and didn't think Yang would remember a small comment.

As the two were seated in the bustling building, Blake took in the atmosphere. Dim lighting, well organized decorative jars, foliage and a small cosmetic pond in the middle of the main floor. Blake flipped open the menu and almost had a heart attack at the price tag for the appetizers let alone the entrees. She was quickly fighting with Yang about the money, but the blonde was sure to squelch the argument. Blake felt uneasy with the payment, but it seemed Yang was going to have her way.

Blake, being part cat, did enjoy tuna, but the finer seafood dishes were far more delectable. Garlic bread, lobster, and some wine was making the pleasant conversation only better as the two were talking personally about their pasts. Blake didn't know how this didn't come up as they were teammates, but she was glad to be the only one to know that Yang told such intimate stories, even the not-so pleasant ones. Blake couldn't tell if it was the atmosphere of the restaurant, or the few too many glasses of wine they've shared, but through the glassy eyes of love, Blake was seeing a delightfully mature side of Yang in conversation, even though she was trying to rub up against her calves with her insistent flirting. The Faunus couldn't resist dangling her leg out to give Yang her thrill.

After the meal, Blake wanted to collapse from satisfaction, but Yang still had more planned. As much as she didn't want to, Yang insisted they walk the meal off. With the storm over, Vale's streets were decorated with a small layer of snow. The edges of buildings and sidewalks were charmed even more by the beauty of the small scenery. The cold wasn't all wonderful, Blake's usual attire was not the best to combat the chilly weather. Without much a choice, she placed her arm around Yang's waist for warmth. Her girlfriend took it one step further and offered her the jacket, but Blake jokingly pointed out how that would barely cover the top of her arms.

Yang's body heat seemed to soar as they were walking through a park. "I came here earlier in the day," Yang admitted. "I was thinking about how cooped up we are on campus. We don't really get to enjoy nature unless it's training. It's hard to stop and smell the roses when you have some Grimm chasing you."

Blake understood and admired the scenery. Yang had a point. The trees were beautiful. Endless of the mighty evergreens were dotting the landscape, snow still at the tops of them and trickling down the branches. As they reached a secluded area of the park, Yang broke away, leaving the Faunus to miss the warmth as Yang started rolling a ball together.

"Hey, I'm not having a snowball fight in these clothes. My aura can only maintain my core so much," Blake protested.

"I wasn't going to throw snow at you silly. Come on, we're making a snowman," Yang said as she knelt down to pack more snow to the base. Blake was relieved by the answer and got down to work with her partner. Throughout the building, Blake's hands would get cold, Yang quick to cup them and breathe some life into the digits. The Faunus was expecting her to inch her hands to more private areas, but it seemed Yang was on her best behavior. If Yang really is going off of the books, those kind of antics wouldn't show up. Blake didn't know if she liked Yang mimicking her fantasy romance novels to this degree.

Patches of grass were showing up as Yang took her time packing snow. It made her miss being close as Blake was in the cold. They finished the snowman and decided they need a face. Both went off in separate directions to find ingredients. Blake found some rocks behind a tree that would make for a good mouth and eyes. The Faunus came back to the snowman to find Yang with hand over her mouth. As Blake came around, she saw that her partner had found a large branch and two pine cones for a codpiece and gonads. The Faunus couldn't hold back laughter as she reflexively belted out her love for the humor. Blake joined in and instead of making a smiley face, had the snowman express himself at the end of climax. A simple o-shape for the mouth and squinted eyes made for a more perfect snowman. The two held each other at the waists, laughing, as they were leaving their creation.

Blake didn't know where they were headed off the beaten path, but Yang knew where she was going. The Faunus noticed chipped bark on the trunks. All of them at Yang's arm level. She connected the dots and was put at ease that she wasn't being aimlessly dragged through the forest. Eventually, they hit a clearing, and beyond a small thicket of bushes was a small pond. A sheet of ice covered the water. The sun glimmered on the surface, reflecting the dew drops in the air. Blake's grip around Yang's waistline tightened at the beauty. She has never been to a place that has never seen violence.

Yang led Blake to a specific tree and leaped up to get a bag. The brawler unzipped it to bring out a pair of ice skates. "I went out on a limb here to get the back pack, also in hopes that you can skate."

Blake laughed at the dopiness of the pun. "I haven't done it in awhile, but I can pick it up quickly." She slipped on the skates and had slight trouble with balancing, but both of them got the handle of it within a few minutes. Blake has found it enjoyable this whole day to kick back and not think about the world's problems, even for a moment. The peace of mind knowing that someone or something wasn't going to attack them was enough for the Faunus to enjoy the day Yang had created.

The two circled the middle of the pond. Blake got colder and spun around to see Yang's face. The sun was setting and so was the temperature. If Yang had anything more planned, she would hope it would be indoors. Blake rested her forehead on the blonde's. Their bangs meshed together as they became crossed-eyed trying to gaze into the other's orbs. Blake saw her breath in the cold as she whispered. "Thanks for today. Couldn't have asked for a better date."

"It was my pleasure," Yang spoke in the same tone. They shared a small kiss. As much as Blake wanted to live in this moment forever, one without the realities of life, she knew it had to end. As the sun was slowly disappearing over the horizon, the two started their way back home.

The school had the heaters running, but the students wondered why. With such spacious areas it seemed like the electric bill would be an entire semester's tuition. Blake assumed it was aura training as even the dorm room was only slightly heated to reach a barely comfortable temperature. The two stood in the middle of the dark room, the sun fully set with the moonlight barely breaking through the drapes. Blake lazily wrapped her arms around the blonde and brought her in for a deep kiss. Yang kept her hands on the Faunus' waist, caressing the lower back.

Blake broke the session to congratulate the brawler. "So lucky to have a girlfriend this thoughtful."

"Never thought I could be this thoughtful. To be honest, though, I actually really liked planning it. It was fun to be so selfless. Thinking of the reactions you'd have when I took you to the pond, making the route, and timing it perfectly. It was alright being conventional."

Blake loved hearing Yang's words, but if she's being honest, it was time for her to come clean. "Glad to have changed your mind, but to tell you the truth, I missed your style of romantics. I loved the day, but the best parts were when you were you. Threatening Weiss to impress me, playing footsie underneath the table at a classy seafood restaurant, and giving the snowman the biggest cock and balls ever. Think the reason I loved the date so much though is that I realized that you're way better than any of those cliches. Leaps and bounds better. I've said before that the real world isn't the same as a fairy tale. For a single day, you at least let me experience it."

Yang flushed from the genuine feelings of love in Blake's confession. "Glad I could help you see it my way, but your fairy tale is fun to play with. I wouldn't mind from time to time if I'm able to plan something like it again."

"Absolutely," Blake said as she went in for a peck. Yang directed the Faunus to her bed and kept the kiss together. Blake was taken out of the moment as her butt felt a crumple of paper. She broke the kiss and reached down to find a folded paper with 'To Blake or Yang' written on the outside. Judging from the writing, it was from Ruby. Blake read aloud.

"Girls. Weiss is essentially kidnapping me and we're going somewhere. I hastily write this note to tell you we might not be back till late. Don't know what got into her, but don't worry about me."

Blake's pulse stopped and started at realizing that her and Yang would have the dorm alone for the next few hours. She looked over to her partner who was as shocked as she was. Blake didn't know if she was ready to take it a step further, but what she did know is that she was in love with the human. Blake talked under her breath repeating the statement that made her flush so violent red a few days ago in the spot.

"Yang." The blonde looked over with extreme curiosity. "You were right."

"Right about what?" was the honest question. Blake didn't want interruptions and unfortunately, unlike team JNPR, they didn't have a guy's tie to hang at the end of their doorknob to ensure privacy. Blake improvised and got the red strings from the Beacon uniform to create a miniature tie. The Faunus teasingly showed Yang her creation and watched the gears turn as she was piecing it together. Blake gave the doorknob its lewd decoration.

"Ohh. I told you I would bury my... mmph" Yang was cut off as Blake crushed her lips onto hers, sensual kisses trailing down to the human's neck. Yang let off a soft, appreciative moan as Blake reached the collarbone. She returned to the mouth, overlapping her lips with the blonde's. Yang's libido was usually ready, but the endgame was flaring it up to new heights as she tried to take control of the session by snaking an arm around the Faunus' waist, pressing their bodies together. Blake felt her partner's tongue touching her lips, yearning for entrance into the cavern. The Faunus willingly gave permission and Yang invaded her mouth. Blake shivered at the touch as Yang's tongue brushed past her teeth, the aggressive muscle caressing the Faunus' sensitive nerves. Blake ran her fingers through the incredible golden mane, giving a light tug whenever Yang's hand would brush up under Blake's top.

The session was getting hotter, literally, and slowly the girls were starting to disrobe. While still keeping their lips locked, the boots were the first to come off. Blake had never noticed how many accessories she wore, but was tempted to never wear them again as Yang had to take off a scarf, two black ribbons and stockings to get to her base clothing. Yang's hand left the Faunus as she untied her belt, relieving herself of her skirt and satchels. Her fingerless gloves were the last to come off before she grabbed at Blake's breasts. An appreciative moan was given by the dark-haired girl as Yang kneaded the mound assertively.

Blake felt a tug at her vest button and was enough for her to stop the kiss. Dizzy from lack of air, cheeks heavily flushed, and almost gasping for oxygen from the both of them. A single string of saliva broke as Blake sat on her knees, realizing they were the farthest they have gone physically in their relationship. The next one to lose a garment would be going in uncharted territory. Blake had to take a few seconds to process, but she didn't need any convincing as she was gazing into the lustful eyes of her partner. She had let both of them wait long enough.

The Faunus grabbed her partner's hand and placed it against her heart. With her longing amber eyes, she conveyed every emotion and feeling needed for Yang to take the next step. The brawler seemed surprised at the speed of her heartbeat, but received the message, closed her eyes and zeroed in on Blake's mouth. Using her free hand, Yang unbuttoned the raven-haired girl and slid the vest off her shoulders. Blake reciprocated with Yang's tan jacket and slung it onto the floor. The white sleeveless top was next, removing her partner's yellow tee was easier in comparison to her tight wears.

Blake stopped to take a good look at her partner. In a puce bra stood Yang, hungry for more as a small drool line hung from the corner of her lips. She noticed her heavy chest heaving from intake and her body light with sweat. Blake took a finger and played with the middle band, watching as Yang's breasts gave a healthy bounce. The blonde was pretty done with teasing and she attacked Blake's neck. The Faunus gave an savvy moan and Yang worked her mouth and her hands, following the band till she found the clasp. As soon as the bra was unhooked, the blonde trailed south leaving a mark to remember. Blake gasped with pleasure as a warm tongue was running over her pink areola. Feeling around Yang's back, she was able to unhook her bra and dispose both with the rest of the clothing. Blake grabbed more than a handful of breast and tweaked her nipple, delicate fingers making Yang moan into her while suckling on her nipple as Blake was losing control.

Blake accepted defeat as her partner was driving her closer to the edge. She lay on her back, body misbehaving, arching as Yang licked her nipple and rubbed the willing skin of her inner thigh. Golden tresses tickled the creamy skin of Blake's chest, accompanied by the brawler's tongue licking the supple flesh, leaving soft love bites as she effortlessly was causing Blake to let out inhibited yelps of pleasure. A tingling feeling that was almost overwhelming was bombarding the Faunus, starting at her lower stomach and spreading down to her crotch in sharp pleasurable jolts of lightning. Blake could wait no longer and quickly got rid of her shorts, revealing her matching black panties.

Yang trailed further and as her body moved down, the panties coming with her, the Faunus' juices clinging to the fabric as she stripped. Blake's eyes opened as the pleasure stopped. Maddened at the frustration of bring brought to the edge, only to be brought back, Blake jerked her head up to voice her complaint. Yang was hovering above her, but was reaching for her head. As Blake figured out she was aiming for the bow, her instinct to swat away her kicked in. It was when she saw her partner's sorrowed lilac eyes did Blake remorse her dissonance. She grabbed Yang's hand and placed it on one strand, and hers on the other. They pulled together to reveal the Faunus' ears that were twitching with joy.

"Beautiful..." Yang barely got out as she went in for a kiss. The brawler reached for the ears and removed the headband, stroking them gently. Blake felt pleasure pulsating towards her heart as Yang revved up Blake's engine again. Yang's hand trailed down, dancing across Blake's tight stomach to her core. She felt the blonde's ample chest spill onto hers as Yang positioned herself on her side, the Faunus' arm wrapping tightly around Yang's waist, fingers rooting themselves at the anticipation of Yang's touch. She rubbed the outer lips of Blake's womanhood causing her to gasp at the subtle contact. The blonde traced little hearts around the entrance, teasing the dark-haired girl into an almost delirious plane of ecstasy as the fingers circled her passage. The Faunus arched her back slowly upwards as Yang's thumb rubbed hard against her love button. Begging for Yang to stop teasing, the brawler slid in one finger with ease and added another as Blake's hips involuntarily bucked to the rhythm she had set. The blonde gently started, letting the other girl get used to her as the walls loosened around the fingers. The Faunus quivered as the blonde would hit her most sensitive zone, panting as her partner picked up the pace, heels digging into the mattress as the restlessness to climax set it. Yang thrust in and out of Blake with the elegance of a master. The Faunus tried hard to control her voice as the blonde curved her fingers, making sure to hit the spot as she was thrusting deep to the knuckles. Blake was not caring who could hear her in the halls. It was impossible to not be letting out screams of passion as Yang occasionally flicked her clit.

"I'm...I'm almost there..." Blake gasped out.

Yang's multitasking was skilled as her hands were commanding such an explosion of pleasure while simultaneously adhering to the more intimate aspects of love making. Peppering love bites on her neck and caressing Blake's cat ears as her other hand was working the Faunus' mound. "Let it happen," Yang whispered in her ear.

Blake gripped and twisted the sheets as she felt the pressure be released into a powerful orgasm, knees locking Yang's hand to her center. Yang tried to close her passage, but it wasn't enough for Blake's essence to have spilled onto the white sheets. The Faunus collapsed on the bed, catching her breath as waves of pleasure her crashing against her. As the woman recovered, she wrapped her arms lazily to bring the brawler on top of her. As her mind centered her eyes fluttered open to see a sight that struck a chord to her sexual desire for the blonde. Yang was licking her hand clean of the sweet juices of her lover. As the brawler noticed her partner's eyes fixated at the scene, she couldn't help but give the most devilish of grins, almost as if she knew Blake could arrive that hard. The sight alone was enough to give Blake her second wind and ask for more.

Three orgasms were had by the collective lovers. Two from Blake and, once she was able to regain control, gave Yang the best climax she had said to have. The two laid exhausted in bed, unable to continue for a round four. They lay in silence under the covers as the heat they had created was subsiding in the winter cold. Blake drew lazy lines down the blonde's tone stomach. Yang had already wrapped her arms around Blake's head and the Faunus was using the top of Yang's bosom as a pillow. The Faunus felt smothered as occasionally her girlfriend would shift her arms to pull her in closer.

The Faunus felt a small kiss get placed between her ears and prodded her into a peaceful slumber. Being cocooned in the safety of Yang's embrace had the Faunus dozing off quickly. Blake's spine crawled as she heard a small whisper from a blonde whom she thought was already in a deep sleep. "I love you, Blake."

The Faunus grinned deep, hoping to imprint her smile on Yang's flawless skin. Able to break from the iron grip, she climbed up to her partner's face and gave one last kiss on her lips. Yang kissed back and nuzzled into the thick black mane. "_My books have nothing on my blonde brawler... I'm glad I made that mistake._"


	6. Weiss: Fluctuating Feelings of the Heart

Hello readers. Before we start, I do want to thank everyone who got me over 100 followers. I put that in the last chapter as a passive request not even thinking I could get to it, let alone pass the number. Again, thank you. Sorry to all Bumblebee fans, again, this is going to be a White Rose arc for awhile. Please stay and I hope you enjoy until we get back to Bumblebee goodness. Keep up with the Fav/Follow, they are greatly appreciated, and review, I read them all. Enjoy.

Weiss: Fluctuating Feelings of the Heart

Snow was glazing the surface of the Beacon courtyard, each flake lightly hitting the princess' head, melting slowly to the warmth of her body. The weather was her home. Being considered the ice princess gave an affinity for the cold to her body over time, but not to an extreme extent as most would think. Other than the childishness and dirtying of her battle skirt, she wouldn't partake in a snowball or flop about sycophantically to make a snow angel. Snow could be harrowing, but the pleasantness of a light fall is one of the best experiences she ever had.

Although she demonized the other immature acts of being in a snow, placing her tongue out and catching one flake at the tip was still as exhilarating as it was when she was a child. The cold sensation flickering as it melted to her tongue. A smile wrapped around the small face as the pleasant chill warmed her heart. Glancing from the fountain, she could see the endless lake that sprawled from the basin where the school was built. She leaned against the rock pillar, appreciating the frozen landscape, smirking to herself as one of the few people who can fully enjoy such a spender. The sheet of ice being filled with the light layer of powder. With the calming scenery around her, Weiss was at peace.

The heiress jumped as a pair of arms wrapped around her waist. The initial struggle was quelled at the high-pitched voice of her partner. "Calm down, Princess. It's me."

Weiss smiled at the voice. "Jeez, Ruby. You shouldn't sneak up on anyone like that. All of us are trained fighters, I was ready to throw an elbow."

The short-haired girl's head rested itself on her shoulder, chin digging into Weiss' small frame, Ruby's moist breath gracing her ear. "As you said, we're all fighters here. I would have caught it. Maybe even grab your other arm, cuff you, and pin you to a pillar."

The heiress had to hide a blush as the last few words were whispered so lustfully in her ear. She turned her head away from the huntress and continued to focus on anything less sexy that her partner. "What brings you out here? It's not like you are Yang with a fiery aura or myself with an icy one. It must be chilly out here for someone normal."

"The cloak is pretty good at keeping my heat together," Ruby said while extending her arm with the beloved robe drawn out . "Also, now that I'm holding on to you, you make a very nice space heater." Ruby tightened her grip following her sexy sentiments. Weiss continued to hold her ground. With her partner being ever playful, she didn't like to admit how easily she is able to get under Weiss' skin and cause the heiress' body to act so misbehaved. Regardless of how she felt, she placed one hand on Ruby's forearm, stroking it gently through the fabric. The other reached behind and played with the short tips of red that adorned her partner, touching the round softness of her rosy cheeks on passing.

Ruby responded to her partner's touch, nestling herself in the neck of the heiress. Small, lingering kisses were placed on the white skin, imprinting their form onto the sensitive tissue. "Please, Ruby. No marks today," Weiss whispered in a low tone. "It's hard to look your sister in the eye when I'm talking with her when I have to hide them in plain sight."

"Alright then," Ruby mimicked Weiss' tone, continuing kisses flowing from her neck to her shoulder. "What can I do then?"

With Ruby relinquishing dominance, Weiss freed herself from the loving grip and spun around in the young girl's arms. Weiss leaned on the pillar behind her to level herself to Ruby's height. Grey eyes were full of rascally lecherousness and smile eager to please. Weiss encircled her arms around the huntress and brought her in closer, lazily entwining her arms around the nape of Ruby's neck. Weiss gave her wordless answer and leaned into Ruby's face, tilting her head ever so slightly as their noses brushed past each other. Weiss gasped a little as Ruby's lips overlapped with hers, exhaling deeply as her body released to the loving bliss she was feeling. Ruby's hands rubbed up the slender sides of the heiress, rough fingers running across the fabric, throwing Weiss into a wave of ecstasy pulsating from the the fingertips.

Ruby pulled away. Weiss opened her eyes, catching to breath and noticing Ruby's flushing as hard as she was recovering from their kissing. Gazing at her partner's face, she detected Ruby had something to say.

"Weiss, I love..."

* * *

><p>The white-haired girl bolted off her pillow. Breathing heavy, chest slick with sweat, and heart beating as if she had been running through a nightmare. She looked around at the familiar room, her personal bedroom. As reality started to focus, it all was becoming clear that she was dreaming. She surveyed her scenery. The white bedroom of the Schnee estate, blackout drapes covering the windowed doors to the balcony, soft tan carpets, and sat in the middle was the canopy bed, which could easily fit the whole team on the wide king size mattress.<p>

Weiss grabbed her silk sheets for comfort, the dream still leaving a terrible aftertaste on her psyche. "What was that? That's twice now since I've been home that she has invaded my dreams. This time Ruby got more risque than last. Her lips were quite... pleasant. I mean, no. It was inappropriate and I should have thrown her off me. And please, like she is the Casanova type. I bet she could barely seduce a box of cookies as opposed to me, someone with class... and integrity, maybe."

The heiress was having trouble with Ruby dominating her thoughts. It wasn't just the dreams, but while awake, she found herself wondering what Ruby was doing at the moment. During some of the more dry aspects of company meetings, she would notice herself drifting off, staring outside towards the window at the clouds, curious if Ruby was doing the same thing back at Beacon. Weiss was finding her partner becoming more of a distraction as she was trying to bury the feelings she had. She picked herself up and walked to her personal bathroom. The tiles covered expertly with warm, silver shag rug, from the door to the sink and shower.

Weiss turned the faucet and poured some ice cold water onto her face, making sure to wake herself fully from her fantasy with Ruby. She looked back at the mirror, hair slightly disheveled and eyes dark from the lack of sleep was not up to her standards. The sun wasn't even up, but she figured going back to sleep would place her back at her Beacon illusion. It was best to get ready and enjoy the last day of her supposed vacation. She picked up her brush and started going through her long silky mane. "You would think some time away from her would make my feelings subside a bit, but I feel they are stronger than ever. I can't let her in. I can't let myself succumb to it. I don't need any distractions as I become the best huntress Beacon has ever seen. Watching Yang and Blake has made my heart yearn for similar companionship, but I know Blake's grades have dropped slightly and Yang's fighting form slacks whenever she's sparring against her girlfriend. Like I should grow an ulcer when that inevitability happens if I were to go out with Ruby. You need to concentrate, Weiss. No time for this dating nonsense."

Speaking to herself in the mirror only showed how much she was lying to herself. Blake and Yang may have slacked, but they were still outstanding huntresses in training. Her notions on not wanting to let Ruby into her life were the most obvious falsities. She placed her hand against the mirror, the cold glass having a small effect on the ice princess and she peered into her colder gaze. "I hate myself. I hate the fact that I have to deny myself of romance because the variable of being in a relationship could very well take me off my path to greatness. It's not the only reason though, is it, Weiss?" she whimpered, eyes glossing with fluid. The heiress reached for the tissue on the vanity before they were able to pool down her cheeks. "You're afraid of getting hurt. So many people have come into your life, professing love. Romantic love, platonic love... parental love. All of it only to be just misdirection to gain favor with a false promise of affection. You're scared of the first person to show genuine interest in you. You're scared to the possible endgames where Ruby loses her love for you and after the four years are up, departs from your life like a wisp in the wind. You're scared of putting yourself out there for someone only for them to reject you in the long run."

Weiss backed up and sank herself against the wall, burying her face in her knees. The heiress depressed with her lack of conviction, her inability to let herself be happy. When Weiss felt like she sulked enough, she got dressed and sat at her computer, looking for anything to entertain her. Constantly, she would catch the rose Ruby left in her luggage in the corner of her eye. The day Weiss got home, it was impossible not to notice the only red object in her sea of white clothing. Something so small was also the most thoughtful gift she had received, and that's coming from a person with enough Lien to purchase islands. As beautiful as the innocent act from her partner was, it was also the most bittersweet. On one hand, Weiss was completely flattered by the gesture. On the other, it shows that she didn't play it too close to the vest and Ruby saw through Weiss' facade, reciprocating feelings she wasn't ready to express.

She stopped browsing the web and picked up the bud from the small vase, inhaling the aroma. She angered herself on how quick her mind was able to connect the flower's scent to that of her partner. "I can't believe I bought her that rose fragrance to freshen up her clothing. Bad idea. Just like taking her on that date. I knew I would regret it. Ruby has clearly shown interest and now I am left with a ticking time bomb. I return to Beacon tomorrow. My hope is that Ruby doesn't have the courage to ask about it, but that's wishful thinking. Judging from the rose..." she paused examining the almost flawlessness of the flower, "she clearly wants to be more than what we are now. Wouldn't be surprised if she picked up on how I feel as a catalyst to her gifting me something so romantic. I have to give her a response."

After mulling around the internet, Weiss got up and walked around the house. What was convenient is that the mansion was big enough to walk around and get the blood flow going, hoping that an active body would create an active mind. As she was thinking, she got a text on her scroll from her mother. Weiss got annoyed as all it was was a passive aggressive reminder to brush up on her studies before returning to school. The heiress' education brought her away from the place she called home, releasing her of the stranglehold her parents had on her, but they still had a grip on her when not present.

"_Jeez, talk about how kids are a product of their parents. I sound like mother when I scold Ruby about studying. Ruby Rose..._" she sighed deeply, thinking about the young heart hanging in the balance of her decision. "M_y intuition is telling me yes, but logically there's no way we could work out. Not without someone getting hurt. Ruby, what am I to do?_"

* * *

><p>"Hey, Miss," a gruff voice came from the darkness.<p>

Weiss stirred, ignoring the presence of someone else as she was rudely being woken.

"Miss, please. If you're going to stay on here, you're going to have to show me your ticket," the voice democratically requested. Weiss felt the proximity of a person nearby and fluttered her eyes open when she realized it was not a dream, or the nightmares of Ruby she had been having. As her vision cleared, there was a man standing above her. He was middle-aged with a brown mustache and kind, but authoritative matching eyes. Judging from his multi-buttoned suit and astute cap, Weiss put two and two together and realized she was being confronted by the conductor.

A small tint rose to her cheeks at the embarrassment of being woken up by a complete stranger, but her brain woke up enough to scramble for what he requested. "Yes. My apologies, sir." Weiss checked off of her pockets, only to remember she places the ticket on top of her luggage. She reached into a small envelope and gave the man what he wanted.

His eyes scanned the paper and had good and bad news, depending on how Weiss would see it. The conductor gave a small smile and chuckled, "Good thing I am still a thorough inspector. You might have missed your stop, Miss Schnee."

Weiss' eyes popped, she looked outside to find the conductor wasn't lying. A sign in polished steel and other precious metals read '_Vale Station_'. She excused herself and swiftly departed the train. She looked towards the distance. Beacon Academy was a landmark in the city and plainly visible from where she stood. "_Just one more airship trip and I'll be at school... Where Ruby is... Where I'll have to talk to her._" Weiss gulping at the ominous castle. Her time trickling down to the last pebble before she had to meet Ruby again. Most of yesterday was spent trying to relax and find a way out of the situation instead of a solution. The final conclusion was to face it head on with whatever she was able to think of in the train car. However, she hadn't anticipated falling asleep due to weariness.

Weiss hailed a cab to the airship field. She placed her head on the back of her hand and people watched to her destination. She didn't know if this was the universe trying to tell her something or annoy her, but she noticed the unusual amount of couples about. A light layer of snow came in from a storm and it seemed to bring out rather than keep in the citizens. Couples holding hands, kissing, talking at tables, enjoying hot coffee together. She was both repulsed and envious of the behaviors.

As she boarded the airship, she had a few more minutes to have to herself before the inevitability that Ruby would meet her. "_Might as well try and practice what I'm going to say to her. Ruby, I think you're great, but I need some more time to think about all of this. No... I can't lead her on. Especially when the thought of not pursuing this is still in my realm of possibility. Ruby, you really had me thinking about a lot of thing when I was off. I think that maybe we should go out on a date again. No... Even if I say that, it's not the whole truth. There's no guarantee that we could be happy. If anything, it's the opposite. It's just two girls who might waste away an opportunity at Beacon to follow romance._"

Weiss could see the courtyard come into view. The spot, still slightly marked up from their first encounter was in sight. The heiress smiled. That confrontation so long ago. Ruby begging for a second chance, saying sorry over and over, and she couldn't have been any meaner to her future partner if she tried. "_Maybe that's the answer. I tell her I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I lack the courage to give into what we both are thinking about because it doesn't follow my master plan, that I'm a coward afraid to get hurt, that the calculated risk is too great._"

Weiss, with luggage in tow, was hoping to avoid Ruby. If anything, she would like for them to be in private when she is gingerly letting her partner down while simultaneously disappointing herself. She entered the castle, Seemed most of the students were in their rooms as the entrance was scarce with bodies. In the direction of her dorm, she spotted the blonde and the Faunus walking towards her. It was nice to see their familiar faces until she saw Yang sporting a scowl that rivaled hers. Before she could say some greetings, the blonde was already in her face. The instinct to back up unconsciously kicked in and before Weiss knew it, had her back against a wall. "Get off me, you brute. I want to get to my room and unpack. I had a long day traveling..."

Weiss' protests stopped as the palms of the brawler slammed against her head. Weiss felt her throat start to close as the lovely violet eyes were turning a blood red, unable to tell if she was gazing into the older sister of her partner or the blood thirsty orbs of a Beowolf. "I know what you did with my little sister," Yang authoritatively pronounced.

Weiss felt her stomach knot at the sentence. The heiress herself getting hot. She knew it was because of her own guilt of keeping such information from Yang, but could also feel the brawler turn up her aura, making it hard to keep her composure. "_How did she find out? Did Ruby go and blab to her big sister about how callous I've been to her feelings? I swear if she did, she is going to get the roughest of tongue lashings. Keep your composure, Weiss. You can talk your way out of anything._"

"I-I have no idea what you're talking ab-about. I didn't do anything," the ice princess was able to stammer out.

"_Smooth._"

"Don't play dumb. You're not good at it," Yang snapped back. "Know that I'm not mad, but you are in a very interesting situation. Seems my sister has taken a liking to you. If you choose to go further with her, I think it's important to keep in mind you will be her first. Her first kiss, her first love, and potentially her first heartbreak. If the latter happens, I will be there."

Weiss felt the heat of the words as Yang was practically breathing them on her. Some spittle marking the heiress' mouth, but she dare not move in fear her predator would devour her. She felt sweat run down her face, too stiffened by Yang's rage to wipe them away.

"You treat my sister's heart with care. I hope we have an understanding," Yang chipped out and walked away with Blake in tow. As soon as she felt the fire of Yang drift out of the building, Weiss sunk to the floor, knees finally giving out from the alleviation of being confronted by the brawler in one piece.

"_I knew Yang had a temper, but I never thought it would be me that feels its wrath,_" she thought as she placed her hand over her chest. "_My heart is racing like crazy. I didn't want Yang to know about this, especially when nothing is set in stone as of now. I know she is protective of Ruby and going behind her back was probably not one of my best ideas._"

As Weiss' levels were returning to normal, she made her way back to the room. She took a deep breath as she let herself in, and a sigh of relief as she saw the room devoid of Ruby. She tossed her luggage on her bed, vowing herself to deal with it later. Weiss threw herself on her back and stared up at the top bunk belonging to her partner. Weiss mulled over Yang's words. She may have found the silver lining, but she couldn't help but see the extreme negativity in between the lines. Behind the usual scowl was a bad temper brewing. "_That blonde dunce should be so glad that Ruby fell for someone like me. I'm smart, beautiful, elegant, well off, and a promising huntress striving to be the best. Like I'm some common delinquent, that I'm so sure she must have fooled around with back in the day. I would treat Ruby right. I would be a respectable lady in all the dimensions of being in a relationship, whatever they may be. I would treat Ruby's heart with the attention it deserves, the affectionate gestures of a true lady, and the love she desires._"

In the middle of her rant in her mind, the dorm room door opened. Ruby stood there, garbed in her usual black battle skirt with the red cloak. The young huntress was caught off guard by the heiress who now had her full attention on her. "Oh hey, Weiss. How was home?"

Weiss didn't answer the question. Her love of Ruby and hate of Yang's words were blurring the natural dazzling effect the leader has on her. "_I don't care what Yang thinks. She's not going to tell me what I can't do. If I feel like dating Ruby, I'm going to._"

Weiss propped herself up and walked over to Ruby, slightly afraid of the robot-like appearance. The heiress grabbed Ruby's hand and was dragging her out the door. "You're coming with me. We're going to catch up with some fresh air."

"Wait. I want to leave Yang and Blake a note," Ruby begged, writhing her grip to go be a loyal sister and leader.

"Send them a text and tell them you're with me," Weiss snarled back.

"No. Yang and Blake are on a date. I swore I wouldn't disturb them," Ruby countered and effectively pulled on Weiss' heartstrings enough to let her run back inside the room and write her letter. The heiress didn't believe in superstitions, but she'd be damned if karma came and interrupted her and Ruby's date.

Weiss was forcefully dragging Ruby towards the airship field, like a mother pulling a child who was clearly in trouble. After Ruby left her letter, the snow princess hadn't noticed that her leader was uncomfortably silent. The reflection of the glass revealed the painful expression on Ruby's face. Head turned down, gray eyes not inkling with unwavering happiness, scared even, of something. It wasn't until Weiss looked into her own reflection did she the reason. Weiss has been mad and expresses it freely, but the manifestation on her face was more monstrous than usual. The red was clearing from her vision as she saw how she was behaving.

"_You should be ashamed. I could cut the tension with a knife with how I'm behaving around Ruby. Now I'm just acting on impulse. __Look at me, saying I can't make up my mind so I let my wonderful mood created by Yang do it for me. The only reason I'm out here with Ruby is because of what she said. I need to clear my mind and enjoy myself. For once, make my own decision. Seems I've given myself some time with bringing Ruby out in public. I don't think she is one that would bring up private matters where everyone can hear them._"

Weiss gazed over to her partner, still unsure of how to react. Ruby's palm was slick with sweat. Weiss didn't know if it was from intimacy or of fear her conduct, but she cooled down and tried again. "Home was pretty boring, as usual."

The calm annoyed tone of Weiss got Ruby's attention. She looked up to her partner, who was staring at the glass, eyes directed to hers. "Wh-what?"

"You asked about home. I'm answering. Keep up with the conversation, you dolt." Weiss wouldn't have believed if she hadn't seen it, but as if it's a pet name, Ruby's eyes lit up at the sound of the heiress' common vernacular. The warmth from Ruby's hand was meeting hers as she smiled and laughed again with her leader. It had only been a week, but it seemed like the girls could talk forever about the events that happened. Apparently, enough was happening around the barren campus. Team RWBY was having fun without their W. Ruby was spending more time with Blake, mostly just curious Faunus talk over baking some chocolate chip cookies. Seemed Yang was having a permanent effect on Blake and has been opening herself up more to the team. Weiss was shocked to learn how Yang prepared for their date, but also not shocked to learn that they might have used the heiress' bed for some fun. Weiss was sure to burn the sheets when she got back. With some free time, they cruised around more of Vale's downtown and found that a new bakery had opened up. The three of them taste testing each of the delectable treats, Ruby of course having final word on cookies.

Weiss was jealous. As she was going over her week away from the team, it seemed uneventful. Sure she went to a spa, went to her private beach house, and spent a couple days at sea on her family's yacht, yet none of it held up for her when doing it her servants and bodyguards. She might as well been alone. It would have been the same experience. However, Ruby was hanging off every word that Weiss was saying. Not because of the wealthy aspect, but because she was genuinely interested in what Weiss had to say.

The usual back-and-forth between the girls continued as they reached downtown Vale. The streets were clearing up as the sun was slowly setting, but the layer of snow was decorating the buildings well. The powder gave off a pleasant view as the street lamps were turning on, giving a gentle crush as their boots meshed against the ground. The temperatures may be dipping, but the ice princess was fine and Ruby had effectively wrapped her cloak around her frame, encasing the heat.

"I know meetings can be like class and be boring, but it can't all that bad, can it?" Ruby asked inquisitively. Weiss scoffed at her naivety, clearly never been in a business office.

"Ruby, it's like being in Professor Port's class with no distractions, no friends, and no sense of when it's going to end," Weiss explained, Ruby letting out a gasp of fear from hearing the treacherous words. "The only good part is the end and when we talk about revenue streams. This time I was slightly more invested as we did talk about Torchwick and other possible locations he and The White Fang could hold up. The company sure put their best foot forward. I think Roman better get more clever if he wants Schnee Company's dust."

"I'm glad it wasn't so bad this time. I thought you go to learn how run the business?"

"I did, but I figured out father's secret long ago. Hire other people to do it for you. When I'm in the office, I'm not there to learn stocks and trading routes or investor's interests. I look around the table and see who has merit and who is devious. Keep the loyal ones and scrap the ones who will turn on me when I take the helm."

"That's actually kind of scary. How do you sniff them out?"

"I would like to think I have a good judge of character. I saw past Blake being a Faunus, seeing that she is a person with a different opinion than me and overall a person with a good heart that wanted a second chance. I'm also still here with you. You better believe that I was going to go against Ozpin's rules and get the boy wonder out of the tree and be his partner. No, I came back, because you were the lesser of two evils, and before that you had shown some competency in your knowledge of Crescent Rose. Even if all I knew before that is that you're a klutz, you like cookies, and making loud noises when people are trying to sleep, I could see that you're a master of your weapon, and most likely a skilled fighter, even if I didn't want to admit it at the time," Weiss finished and smiled down at her leader, gray eyes full of joy at the admittance of Weiss being green-eyed.

"I so knew it. It's hard not to be jealous of all of this perfection," Ruby teased, striking a fencer's stance, mocking Weiss' choice of style.

"I thought leaders were to be humble. Sure hope Opzin or Goodwitch don't see the arrogant leader of Team RWBY boasting her excellence and looking down on her subordinates. So unprofessional," Weiss jested, effectively cornering Ruby and receding back to a silence. One more thing Weiss didn't dare admit is how much she was enjoying the time spent with Ruby, how much the leader meant to her, how much she was hoping Ruby counted this as a date, so she could kiss her.

The two stopped in front of a pleasant coffee shop. Tiny, could maybe only seat fifteen people, but it seems the cold weather had already taken its toll on the citizens and sent most potential customers inside their homes. Ruby excused herself to use the restroom and Weiss stood outside, back against the marbled wall as she thought about her partner. "_Can't believe I would ever admit that secret. I was sure to take it to the grave that I found Ruby to be a threat. Well, I freed up one secret to add room for another. I have never been more attracted to that girl in my life than I do right now. Her face, her smile, the energetic cheerfulness that annoys me. I want it. I want all of her. I..._"

"Keep moving and walk to your right."

Weiss was snapped out of her romantic cerebration as the cold, gravelly voice was followed with a sharp point nipping her on her back. The heiress wanted to run, fight, scream, but she already has a scar and wasn't ready to add another one. Besides the lack of people wouldn't make a difference to her plight if the suspect was a professional. Prettified, she found the huntresses instinct and walked slowly forward, acting as naturally as possible.

"Turn in the alley," the voice came again.

Weiss could tell this man was knowledgeable of the lay of the buildings. The alley was not as inviting as she would hope. Some dumpsters and trashcans overflowing with litter, cardboard boxes flattened on the ground, and the perfect pitch of black to make whatever transaction not easily visible to passer-byes. Weiss kept her composure as he backed away and held the knife at a less than advantageous range.

"Turn around."

Weiss did as told and turned to see the silver blade pointed at her throat. The heiress faltered slightly as the blade was pressed against her throat. Weiss knew the man was not to be taken lightly. His many jackets, keeping him warm in the winter were decorated with some military prizes and signatures. She almost discredited him as a vagrant until she saw the blade. It was no ordinary kitchen knife. Strong short handle, a five-inch blade, serrated towards the base, perfect for close quarters combat and, judging from how it felt pressed against her throat, deadly sharp.

"Wallet and jewelry."

Weiss felt a slight relief roll over her. There were a thousand worse scenarios than simply losing material possessions and the few hundred Lien she carries around. She slowly reached inside her pockets on her jacket and brought out a wallet that cost more than the Lien inside. "Can I just have my IDs back? Hobo code, right?"

"We'll see. Necklace and earrings now," the man said, keeping one eye on her and concentrating simultaneously at the contents in her wallet. The heiress didn't care to much about the earrings, but the necklace carried some sentimental value. It was the last gift she received from her grandfather. The little apple-shaped sterling silver pendent was the representation the apple in his eye. Despite how she was feeling, she would make another. Replaceable, unlike her life.

Weiss analyzed her target. She was right in the military hunch. If he was homeless, it wasn't for very long. His high and tight haircut was shagging on the top, greasy bangs hanging in front of the hard brown eyes. The man was about as masculine as Jaune when it came to facial hair. Barely a half-hazard beard, patches on the underside of his jaw. He didn't seem like a hardened solider, just a solider that fell on hard times.

She handed over the earrings and necklace. In one swift motion, he took the jewelry and placed them hurriedly in one of the many pocket lining the camouflage coat. A diabolical grin spread across his face, worrying the heiress as he let out stifled snickers. "I might as well have hit the jackpot. A Schnee."

Weiss felt the blood deplete from her face, her already pale features becoming ghost white. The mugging taking a far more darker turn. "Look, I gave you what you wanted. I'll leave now and won't have the entire police squad of Vale searching for you." Weiss now feeling the fight or flight response of adrenaline. The fencer was choosing the latter.

"I knew that I noticed the crest on your jacket. As luck would have it, it wasn't some present from a family member, but royalty itself." The now devious eyes narrowing on the heiress, like a lion before her prey. Weiss was analyzing her options. There was a trash can next to her, and the knife was in the left hand. A swift dodge to the right for a shield wouldn't be the worst of options. She felt she couldn't disarm him in a close quarters combat. The difference in size was noticeable.

From the streets, a hero called out. "Over here, you jerk!"

Weiss head darted as she saw a large paper cup hurling towards them. Before the attacker could react, a brown steaming liquid splashed against his face. Weiss felt a slight sting as some of the cups contents hit her. An angry yell of pain belted out of the man. In a flash, Ruby released her semblance and was in front of him and gave a hard punch to the gut. With his body bent forward, she used her other hand to shove another cup of hot brew in the man's face. With a final strike punched through the cup, seeing the leader wince in pain with the blow.

Ruby grabbed Weiss's hand. "Come on, run!" The heiress didn't hesitate. Seemed the fighting was over and it was time to bail. Weiss hailed a cab quickly and paid the driver triple if they could get to the airfield as soon as possible. Before the adrenaline of the incident could wear off, they were already on the airship back to Beacon.

Sitting next to each other, Weiss could see the young leader nursing her wound. She wouldn't be very grateful if she didn't extend a helping hand. She brought a tissue out and asked Ruby for her hand, covering and applying pressure to the cuts on her knuckles. "I want to say thanks, but seriously, what took you, Ruby? I was out there for five minutes before that man showed up."

"I'm sorry. I went to the bathroom and noticed that they had a cookie flavored blend of coffee. I figured that I get it because the sun is already down and I didn't know how much longer we were going to be out. A warm cup would hold me over for the next hour or so. It's not like I was being selfish. I saw your favorite, Earl Grey, and decided I'd come out with something for each of us. It's not like I could anticipate a mugging. I was freaked out when I didn't see you. If I didn't take a lucky guess to where you went, I might not have found you," Ruby explained, almost sorrowful in her reply that was unnecessary being the savior.

"If you already weren't hurt I would be strangling you for stopping for cookie coffee. It's not like I needed your help. I was already formulating a plan to get out before you rushed in," Weiss scolded her, shuffling the tissue to a less bloody part. "And look at your hand. Your aura will fix it quick, but this could have been avoided along with the dry cleaning to get the stains out of my battle skirt."

"I'm sorry. I'll pay for it."

"No. No, you won't. It'd bankrupt you with where I go. Just use your head next time, Ruby."

"I did. I saw an opening and I took it. I would be a terrible partner if I didn't rely on instinct every once in awhile," Ruby explained. Weiss intrigued by the leader's explanation and decided to listen instead of dismissing it as a childish impulse. "I acted on instinct because it's the right thing to lead off. It may not go as I plan as best intentions are fraught with disappointments, but it's worth it to be honest with yourself. Trust what you are doing is correct. If I didn't do that, then you might have been the one gotten hurt."

Weiss absorbed the words. The answer she was looking for what right in front of her. "_Instincts. Just follow what I feel is right and hope for it to all be OK?_" She looked up at the leader, gray eyes wincing whenever Weiss would expose the closing wounds to air, yet glimmering to the softness of the pale moon. Her delicate fingers in her hand, marked with callouses from Crescent Rose, that cursed scent of her own vanilla shampoo again lining her follicles, the cute button nose, the silly cloak she dragged around like a security blanket, the red tips of her hair perfectly framing her cute round face... her lips. There was only one thing Weiss' instinct was telling her. "_Kiss the girl._"

Before she could act, the airship stopped and the two walked towards Beacon, Weiss finally found the courage to halt the two in front of the fountain before they reached their point of no return. Ruby turned around to see the crystal blue eyes softening as the internal struggle to be a perfect romancer was neutralizing the heiress. Still, the sharp eyes had their effect on the leader's heart. As Weiss gently pulled her closer to her by the hand, entwining the delicate digits with her own, she felt a shiver run through herself as Ruby's body covered the gap and the leader looked with eyes yearning for her touch. Weiss took one step closer, invading Ruby's personal space efficiently. She felt Ruby's breathing quicken as her arm found its place on her waist, frozen air creating the visible vapor as she exhaled. Scrambling to mimic Weiss, she placed her hand at the base of her neck, slowly pulling in the ice princess as Weiss targeted her lips.

It was short, sweet, and a little clumsy, but the second the heiress' lips touched Ruby's, the anxieties that had been rattling her mind were silenced. It felt so perfect as the soft marshmallow lips were forming with hers, the slight taste of sweet coffee coating Ruby's mouth, a small slick of saliva on the ends. All of it and more is what the heiress desired for so long and now it is more perfect than what she imagined in her mind. As her lips overlapped for the last time, her grip released and let Ruby step back, her face invisible as her blush was deep enough to mirror her coat. Weiss herself was a scarlet hue as the heated kiss was making her body fluster.

Ruby scrambled to think of something post kiss, but all she was able to get out was, "I... I umm... That was nice and-and all... I think. Umm... I should go-go to the ro-om or something."

The young leader, embarrassed and fleeting from the act, flash-stepped out of the situation as fast as she could. Weiss worried she would cause a commotion and pursued Ruby back to the dorm. On her way, she saw Ruby sprinting back to her. "Ruby, stop. I know it was..."

Ruby snatched her hand stronger than earlier when she was getting mugged, catching the heiress off guard and almost pulling the arm out of her socket as Ruby ran in the opposite direction screaming "Oh my goodness, I didn't hear. No. No. No. It was something else entirely." Weiss pulled and tried her best to resist her spazzy partner from dragging her around the school. Ruby tired herself out at the entrance hall, resting her back behind a pillar, covering her entire body with her cloak.

Weiss couldn't believe how fast the elation of kissing someone special could be depleted so quickly as her partner acted weird, even for her standards. "You mind explaining what that was all about?"

Ruby had been murmuring into her knees, but stopped long enough to explain to Weiss. "I-I... I heard some things when I got closer to the room." Weiss' ears perked up, urgent to hear if there was trouble brewing. "I... I heard Yang screaming."

Weiss' protective instinct came into play and interrogated her leader. "Ruby, what happened? Is Yang in trouble? Should we be going back? Was anything said about what was happening?"

The heiress didn't mean to bombard Ruby with so much so quick, but precious seconds counted if someone is in peril. "There was something like. 'Don't stop, Blake. Right there. Those Faunus fingers are magic.' And then she let out a loud shriek."

Weiss' face heated up hotter than the passionate kiss shared minutes ago from what sounded like Blake and Yang finally having sex in their dorm room. The heiress was blown back enough from the information given and slumped down next to her partner, Weiss now thinking of more rules she would be adding in the morning now that Blake and Yang had crossed into that stage of their relationship. She felt the small hand of Ruby grip onto hers. Weiss was fearful that the sexual acts of her sister was spurring on feelings within her, but was bittersweet to see her face full of anxiety. "So-sorry you had to hear that. Winter was always polite and protected me from such sounds, but if I had to guess another part of her reason to keep the sounds hushed was so our parents wouldn't hear. I wish my parents had the same sentiment as the mansion has incredible acoustics. I've heard Mother and Father say some things that have made my spine crawl."

Ruby didn't say anything to the comment, most likely trying to repress the memory of ever being near the room. Finally, she spoke up, "What do we do? I don't know when they'll stop. If they'll stop."

"Well, it's not like we can barge in. Bad enough you had to hear it." As Weiss was running through the options in her head, she felt Ruby's arm sneak up behind her, startling the heiress and wondering what brought on this bold action. "Care to explain this?" she questioned as she pulled on the red fabric.

"This is a cloak, not a blanket, and an old one at that. I'm going to get cold if we end up sleeping here," Ruby honestly put out. Weiss hadn't considered sleeping here, but unless they spent the night trying to look for a random bed in the school, they would only waste time. The heiress scooted over, welcoming Ruby's invitation and body heat. She wasn't cold, but it was enjoyable curling up to Ruby's curves and sharing their warmth. She placed her hand on her side of the cloak and brought her in closer with Ruby.

As the night was passing, Ruby's head cradled itself into Weiss neck, the heiress knowing soon her partner would fall asleep. With the relaxed air, the ice princess laid her head onto Ruby's, still irritated her hair smelled of vanilla, but was soft to the touch. It wasn't the most ideal way Weiss saw this ending, but considering the circumstances, this wasn't so bad to her.

"Weiss..." the leader whispered out.

The heiress was slightly annoyed as she was trying to sleep, but answered low and politely. "What's up?"

"Can we not have the day we kissed also be the day Yang and Blake... you know. Can we lie to ourselves and say our first kiss is tomorrow?" Ruby asked, pleading for the princess to have the same opinion as her.

Weiss couldn't have concurred faster. She took Ruby's hand, cuts healed and the scabs giving a roughness as Weiss caressed the wounds with her thumb. "Absolutely, Ruby. Just go to sleep now. You don't want to know how long a day it has been for me."

Ruby hummed her response and dug further into Weiss' neck. The white-haired girl wasn't sure how her boney shoulder could be comfortable, but it seemed to put Ruby fast asleep. Weiss decided to be underhanded and sneak a chaste kiss on Ruby's forehead. "_So... instincts led me here. I hope I can rely on them in the future. This was kind of nice._"


	7. Ruby: The Sprouting Bud of Romance

Hello again. Three weeks go by fast. Again thanks for all the fav/follows and reviews. Please keep it up, maybe will hit 100 favorites or 150 followers with this chapter. Yay landmarks. Again another White Rose and I promise Bumblebee will have their return soon. Give a shout out to Bakki on Deviantart who will have a cute picture for this. Fav/Follow and review and enjoy.

Ruby: The Sprouting Bud of Romance

The young leader awoke, determined to keep her eyes closed, not wanting to acknowledge the day as it was starting off atrociously. Her back and butt were horribly sore as concrete isn't the best surface to be sleeping on. Wisps of cold air floated throughout the academy's open windows woke Ruby up randomly in the night, wrestling her out from having a good night's sleep. With an exhausted mind, she almost forgot the wonderful little princess resting on top of her head. At first, Ruby thought she woke up with a glorious headache until she felt the gentle breathing of her partner. The urge to get up and stretch subdued to give Weiss a few extra moments of sleep.

"_Do I move or do I sit still? Move? Sit Still? Move? Sit Still? Move?... Forget it. It's not like I'm in a hurry to do anything in particular. I'll suffer through the annoying pains poking at me just so I can have her with me. Oh, when did it start heating up? I was freezing... Oh, I'm blushing super hard,_" Ruby thought as she was noticing her whole body resonate at the idea of her crush's figure so close to hers. "_Oh my gosh, I don't know whether to love or hate how my body is reacting right now. I've never felt my face so hot. Ugg... I can hardly imagine it last night as I was standing in front of the fountain. The second I saw her steely blue eyes, I couldn't hold it back if I tried. I felt my whole body radiating heat as she pulled my body closer, the happy accident that occurred as I was able to somehow cradle into Weiss' form as she took the lead and took my lips for the first time._" Ruby reminisced fondly, bringing her fingers, touching the tips of as softly as Weiss had. "_If that's that what a kiss is like then I have no regrets waiting for someone special to share it with. It was so beautiful. It was like feeling the rush of a battle, but put into one single action. My heart felt like it was going to pop out of my chest it was beating quickly. If I wasn't petrified that I was actually kissing Weiss, I would have asked for more. It was so amazing._"

Ruby took a look down to the hand that brought her into the loving action. The fragile fingers still interlaced with hers. The cuts on her knuckles healed very well over the course of the night. Ruby let herself believe that the combined auras of the two girls helped the wounds mend quicker.

The sudden movements of the white-haired girl awaking startled Ruby. The young leader sat still as Weiss stirred herself awake, the usual yawn of a peaceful slumber was replaced by the groans of an awful night's rest. The loving arm that kept the two glued through the night was now outstretched, the slender build cracking in places, relaxing the no doubt stiff joint and bones from their concrete cot they called a bed. Ruby peered up, the heiress with a more than fierce scowl already.

"I would ask if you slept well, but I already know the answer," Ruby mentioned tenderly, not wanting to provoke the already annoyed Weiss.

"My body feels like it was mauled by a Beowolf. My back has never been so sore," the heiress replied, peering at the opened window. "Good thing my internal clock woke me up. Looks like we got up just in time for the mess hall to start their cooking which means no one saw this sad picture. A couple of teammates kicked out of their rooms because of the very lewd escapades of Yang and Blake."

Ruby felt the twinge of embarrassment as the sounds of her sister howling in pleasure slipped back into her mind. She quickly shrugged it off and was hoping to successfully repress that memory. "It wasn't all bad, though." Weiss turned, the answer too absurd for her taste, Ruby flustered from the eye contact sheepishly let out. "You know... it was kind of nice cuddling with you."

As Ruby had the courage to look up at her partner, a small tint had risen to her cheeks, giving the leader the full understanding of what Yang does when she compliments Blake. The small surge of confidence was spreading a warm smile on the round face. Weiss noticed the odd behavior of the normally demure nature of romance as of now. "What's with that look?" eyebrow raised. Ruby stayed silent, reveling in the fact that Weiss isn't trying to fight the natural reaction of her feelings. Ruby could see the conflict slowly resolve itself as the heiress let out a small smirk before changing the subject from her blushing face. "Hey. One, stop it. Two, I'm pretty hungry. Since we slept not ten feet from the mess hall, I was thinking of going to get the food while it's fresh."

Ruby realized how peckish she was after the glow of being with her crush was dissolved. She placed a hand in her stomach, analytically determining what to get. "I'll have a stack of pancakes topped with berries, load it with syrup, with a side of yogurt and milk."

Weiss rolled her eyes at the favored beverage choice. The heiress got up and dusted herself off, relinquishing Ruby's cloak. Like a proper lady, Weiss remembered to hand-truck up her partner and collectively was smoothing over their clothing. "I swear, all that sugar is going to come back to haunt you one day. Do me a favor, though. Regardless if they are up, ask what the other two want for breakfast and I'll carry it back."

A shiver ran up her spine at the thought of walking back to the room alone, but Ruby knew it was impossible for Yang to be up at half past the crack of dawn. "Yea-yeah. I promise." Weiss headed to get the meal for four as Ruby made her way towards the dorm. So long as there wasn't any noise coming from beyond the wood panel, she wasn't going to run away covering her ears. To the initial displeasure, there were sounds coming from inside, but it wasn't the pleasures of love, it was a lot of scurrying and worrying. Ruby put her ear to the door, the muffled sounds of her sister filtering through.

"Where do you think I should go looking first, Blake? All we know is that Weiss took her out and that limits our options to just about all of Vale. Anything to narrow my search down before I go gray would be helpful." Ruby felt a wave of relief as it felt safe to enter the room. Still cautious in fearing Yang could be talking to Blake completely in the nude, Ruby closed her eyes and creaked open the door slowly, peeking her head around the frame, peeping just enough to see Yang in her yellow singlet and shorts, fastening her boots to her feet.

Yang was fixing her sock that was always loose, a compulsion of getting dressed in the morning. The blonde fixated her stare towards the door, flipping her attitude as Ruby entered the room. Yang leaped off the bed, grasping the younger sister and lifting her off the ground. The surprising strength of Yang's hugs crushed the air out of Ruby, the leader trying to fight her way out of the smothering, but let the brawler have her way this one time.

"Oh my gosh, Ruby! I was scared out of my mind when I didn't see you in the room this morning. I thought something might have happened."

"That's great... Yang, but... you're hurting me..." Ruby barely got out. The older sister got the message, but still kept her little sister in her arms a little longer until the leader wiggled out.

Yang turned her head to holler back towards the bathroom, "Blake, you can take your time now."

"I noticed." the Faunus replied.

Yang directed her attention back to her sister. "I knew I forgot something. I don't wake up early for fun. Ruby, where were you? I know you and Weiss went out, but the second I noticed you weren't in your bed, the worst case scenarios started popping up in my head."

Ruby smiled, grateful that her sister was still this concerned about her safety, not so much that Yang reeked of the smell of sex, forcing her to confront the reason she didn't come home. "Thanks Yang, but we came back last night, and umm..." Ruby's face heat up as she was finding the most delicate words to tell her sister about last night. "We-we came to the room and-and we... heard noises," Ruby stopping, unable to continue further with the explanation.

Yang's expression was confused at first until the light bulb turned on. "Oh... Ooohhh." Yang placing a hand over her mouth, a slight flush to her cheeks. "I am... wow. I certainly was not paying attention to the clock last night. I umm... just don't tell Blake. I'll let it slip in conversation. Where did you sleep then?"

"Out in the entrance hall. Sucked it up and accepted what was happening. I know you really like Blake... and you're very tame when me and Weiss are around. The least we could do was selflessly give you girls some private time," Ruby said, diverting her eyes away from the mention of sex.

Yang beamed at her young sister, "Thanks Little Sis. Last night was a long time coming for us and an interruption would have ruined the magic. I know you're used to taking one for the team and all, but you're getting rewarded this time. I'll get you that special cookie we see at the bakery next time, the one with chocolate and icing. You could share it with Weiss."

Ruby's eyes shrank, a small tremble running through her as she thought her sister was onto what she and Weiss were up to. The leader looked up to her sister wearing a smile so sure she had struck a nerve. "No-no, it's fine. Get Weiss something else," Ruby quickly covering up her tracks.

"Come on, Ruby. I told you about me and Blake way back when. Is there anything going on between you and Weiss?" Yang asked with sincerity. Ruby felt like it was a trap, like there was something she did to elicit such a specific question. The leader stared towards Yang, lilac eyes ready to accept any answer she would give. Ruby gave into her desire to keep it a secret, not knowing how Weiss would react if others knew being an excuse enough to lie.

"No. Weiss and I are just friends," Ruby shyly replied. The older sister pressed harder.

"Sure about that. I remember my little sister being oftly mopey last week, sitting in Weiss' bed a lot, burying her face into her pillow..." Yang teased, Ruby's face reddening as the very accurate depictions of last week's acts. She wasn't going to admit to it, but she was a little lost without her partner around. The second she left the rose in the luggage, her stomach was in knots, waiting for a reply and as the days went by she was getting herself depressed with the lack of response. She didn't expect to be so forlorn with her decision, and it seemed to be fairly obvious to Yang, but she risked it all and at the time, not knowing it would end in her favor. Lacking any link to Weiss while she was gone had her stretching to keep the connection, like smelling her vanilla scent of her shampoo.

"No. Yang... just, can you let this one go right now?" Ruby pleaded with her sister, big gray eyes in full effect, but the blonde was immune to the nature of the puppy-dog stare when her little sister was trying to get out of something. To Ruby's surprise, Yang put her hands on her shoulders.

"Fine. You keep your little secrets, but Big Sis is here if you need her. Especially if you need me to pummel a certain heiress for breaking your heart," Yang guaranteed, freeing Ruby from the sudden interrogation. She knew Yang was on to her, if not knew about exactly what was going on, but she seemed to reciprocate the privacy in her relationship as she did. The sisterly bonding moment ended when she got a seething text from Weiss on her scroll.

"_How long does it take to get your sister and Blake's orders?_" Ruby imagining her princess with arms crossed, furiously tapping her foot against the floor waiting for Ruby to finish her task.

Ruby frantically asked her sister what she wanted in exchange for what Weiss and her did last night. The young leader was fine with revealing her share, excluding the kiss. Yang was already in a playful mood, any mention of kissing would spur nothing but cheek pinching and teasing. As Ruby was sharing her night, Yang was proud at her sister was the hero she knew she would be when she took care of the crook. Ruby was happy to hear everything before the bedroom part of Yang and Blake's date, amazed how creative she had gotten to impress Blake. The Faunus overhearing the conversation from the open bathroom, throwing in her opinion when the occasional over-exaggeration was grossly inaccurate.

"Oh, please, I was pretty decent on skates. You were the one losing your balance because you were losing control of your aura and melting the lake causing the ice to slick."

"Well, I was very distracted by you. Your butt looks very good in skates. It's the reason I hate the school uniform. Those loafers do not do you any favors."

Ruby sat back, watching the two heartily flirt back with each other. The little flame of Ruby's budding relationship with Weiss seemed insignificant compared to the inferno now burning between Blake and Yang. It put a lot into perspective for Ruby, how much she'll have to work with Weiss to make their new relationship not fizzle, how little she knows, and how much she can't wait to dive right into it.

Weiss came in, a tray being slowly maneuvered to by the perfect balance and careful footwork of the fencer. Ruby bounced off the bed to help her partner, guilty for not asking for her aid after seeing the meal load. "Geez, Weiss, sorry for not offering a helping hand. I should have remembered how hard it is considering I sometimes get all of us food." Ruby grabbed the drinks to lessen the difficulty of the balancing act.

"I told you I would handle it. Don't think you getting the drinks halfway through the door is going to make me less annoyed by making me wait five minutes for a reply. Never make a lady wait," the heiress scolded. Weiss' attention was waned as she looked past Ruby's shoulder, brows narrowing as she was perplexed by something. She lowered herself close and whispered low enough for only Ruby to hear. "Your sister and Blake are giving us very curious stares."

Ruby turned with the drinks in hand and saw Yang murmuring something funny, hands now covering Blake's mouth, clearly suppressing laughter. Ruby immediately knew they were talking about her, but carried herself pretending not to notice.

A pile of pancakes, french toast and assorted fruits were laid out. Each equipped with a plate and fork, each were picking off what they wanted from the mound. The rest of the team were catching up with Weiss, pretty dazzled with the extent of her wealth. Yang already was trying to convince the heiress to spend the next vacation with her. Weiss denying up and down that she is not some Lien stimulus package that they can pilfer for free luxuries. However, the white-haired girl was not the spitfire monster she used to be and promised to think about it so long as there wasn't too much to do back at the company.

Ruby quietly ate as she let Blake and Yang question Weiss on their week off. With already having heard about her partner's week, she was letting her mind wander. The easily-distracted girl fixed on one action Weiss was making in particular. Every once in awhile, the heiress would be grabbing at her neckline. Ruby first thought she had an itch above her cleavage, having to avert her gaze in hopes none of her teammates would notice. It wasn't until she realized her apple necklace was missing. Something she sees everyday, almost a staple of Weiss' appearance, she barely noticed was gone. Ruby wanted to discount that it could have been stolen, but she was sure she was wearing it last night and couldn't have taken it off before entering the room. "_Could she have lost it in the mugging? I wasn't thinking about that. I just saw her in trouble and fought back. I didn't even take into consideration she may have already had her jewelry stolen... I may have made a misstep._"

As soon as Blake and Yang had their fill, they decided to go out and window shop in Vale's downtown district. The tight time schedule of yesterday's date had them not truly enjoy some of the magnificence that was the winter wonderland of the small city. As the two left, Ruby was figuring out a way to ask Weiss about the necklace as they were cleaning up the dishes. Weiss was sitting at her desk, reorganizing it for the upcoming semester. Ruby grabbed her desk chair and sat next to her partner, fiddling with her fingers to give the illusion she was helping. Weiss picked up on Ruby intruding in on her personal space and had to question the actions.

"What are you doing? If you need pencils, I told you last time, no. All you do is stick them up your nose or balance stuff from the tip," Weiss proclaimed.

"It's not that. I'm all prepared, don't you worry about that. It's just that... it dawned on me. When we were eating, you didn't have your necklace," Ruby pointed out, causing Weiss to momentarily pause before returning casually to her work.

"No. I was mugged yesterday, if you remember," The heiress said, the scowl growing fiercer on her forehead.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't even thinking about it when I jumped into action. I ran in and got you out. It didn't even occur to me what was going on," Ruby frantically apologizing.

"You didn't know. It's fine. What matters is that you got me out of there safe. It would be inconsiderate of me to not put the whole thing into perspective," Weiss swiveling in her chair, icy orbs now staring at Ruby, gently morphing to a more caring gaze. Weiss outstretched her arm, cupping the leader's face. "You did great. Please, don't worry about it."

Weiss lowered her hand to Ruby's shoulder, reassuring of her good deed. "But... I saw you grabbing at your neckline a lot, where the necklace use to be. You miss it."

"I do, Ruby." blue orbs saddening at the memory. "That one did have some special significance, but there's no reason to concern yourself about it."

"No, Weiss. Tell me. I want to know. Even if you say I can't fix it, I'm curious," Ruby insisted.

Weiss let out a deep sigh, lamenting on her loss. "That little apple necklace I wear everyday is from my grandfather. Probably the only person in my family to treat me like family, not just some commodity he can groom. I was his little girl and he always said I was the apple in his eye, the bright and definitive shining future of the Schnee family. The necklace was the last gift I ever received from him."

Ruby mulled around the words, guilt now being forced upon her from hearing such a sentimental story. It seems it was obvious how hard the story hit as Weiss pulled her partner's attention in with a slight of hand under her chin. "It's fine, Ruby. Please don't take it personally. I can't thank you enough for what you did. Now, I'm about to go down to the gym. It's been a week of slacking off and I feel like some exercise. Want to join?"

"I was sparring with Yang and Blake while you were away so I'll take a pass this time. Next time, alright?" Ruby replied, leaving Weiss slightly disappointed, but understood the fatigue of going up against Yang and Blake. She departed after a few more placement of materials for tomorrow's classes, leaving Ruby with her thoughts.

The young leader sat on Weiss' bed, hands keeping her head from falling as she sat crestfallen. "_I know Weiss said not to do anything, but I feel so responsible. If my stupid attention span didn't immediately falter the second a cookie got involved, Weiss would still have her necklace. I can't... nope. I can't sit here. I have to do something. even if it's a candy necklace gag gift. Seeing her face... If I'm going to be a good girlfriend, it's to pick her up when she's down._"

Ruby waited for a few minutes to make sure Weiss didn't double back to catch her gone, only leading to a suspicious text from the heiress later. The young leader didn't want to use the internet to purchase jewelry, a subject she knew little about, only considering the only jewelry she wore is her cuffs. The crosses on her cloak weren't expensive, she guessed by the cheap looking metal and the fact her family wasn't one to afford such luxuries. There was a small shop in Vale the team passed by a few times. The store clerk seemed friendly and she hoped he was cordial enough to teach her about jewelry and, even more, wishing for a decent price.

Ruby descended the airship to Vale, crossing her fingers Blake and Yang wouldn't be around the district where she was going. The young leader rolled her eyes, realizing her classic red cloak contrasts harshly against the scenery in general, let alone a town now mostly white. Ruby kept low, moved carefully, and eventually was in the front of the store.

A small chiming rang, the alarm system signaling someone entered. The jeweler greeted her with a friendly smile and wave. He was a very old man. Ruby guessed that he probably had a granddaughter her age with his balding white hair, crows feet, and thick glasses. Like a proper business man, he asked how she was doing and what he could do for the young lady today.

"Yeah... umm I was hoping to get a silver necklace shaped like an apple for the pendant," Ruby inquired, admiring the cases filled with rich gems and precious metals.

"I don't. I'm very sorry, Miss, but we don't have something like that. I can make you one if you like," the elderly man petitioned.

The ecstatic Ruby immediately pounced on the offer. "Yes sir. Thank you. How much will that be?"

The craftsman put a hand to his chin, pulling out a pen and paper, quickly writing down figures to justify a price. "Well, depending on how long you want the chain it's going to be three hundred to three thirty Lien." As the jeweler went on, and the price went up, Ruby's high spirits was correlatively sinking. Sterling silver anything seemed out of reach for her let alone accenting it with gems, only escalating the price. Ruby's mood was already sunk to the floor by the time the old man was finishing his business talk. "...and we could come to a total of one thousand two hundred Lien if you wanted it special gift wrapped."

Ruby could barely respond, her only good idea now shot down, the candy necklace looking like a brilliant idea. "Yeah. Thanks. I'll come back later. Just shopping around. I'll be back if I can't find a better option."

As she was shuffling herself towards the door, the jeweler asked an unexpected question. "Who's it for?"

Ruby turned her head, addressing the man with a twinkle in his eyes, self assured by her response. "What?"

"Who's it for? I've been in this business a long time youngin'. Most people don't buy jewelry for themselves," the soft gravely voice soothing the sadness. "It's a gift usually. You could say I'm a jeweler and a professional gift wrapper. So, who was the special someone?"

Ruby was hesitant to answer, but if talking to him would keep her from walking back to Beacon in defeat, it was worth it to listen. "She's-she's a friend or actually, not really a friend anymore. After last night, I'm pretty sure that we're more than that and she means a lot to me now more than ever. She lost a necklace yesterday after she was mugged and I feel responsible. It was something very close to her and I want to give it back in some way."

Ruby had no idea why she was confessing a little truth to this stranger, but it was cathartic to a degree. "Well, this advice is free. You're going about this the wrong way." Ruby now was gripped on the professional's words of wisdom. "You're trying to replace a memory. You're not going to accomplish that with a replica. That memory is now just what it is, intangible, but still retaining its piece in her heart. She will remember it the way it is. What you need to do is create a new one. Find a design close to her. I'll create that and knock a hundred Lien off the final price."

Ruby's spirits were rising, but enough to create something so original and have it be cheap. "That's very nice of you, but I'm sort of a broke student at Beacon. Not exactly rolling in the Lien with all the studying and training," the girl having a small smile to give her gratitude from the store clerk trying his best to aid Ruby. The young leader left, hoping by some chance she would return one day with the Lien to get Weiss a proper gift.

Ruby wrapped herself in her cloak, the afternoon high not peaking past chilly. The young leader wished she had pockets in the dreaded battle skirt, forgetting mittens in this weather was a mistake. With her mood still low, the short-haired girl was dragging her feet against the snow covered sidewalk. Instead of leaving footprints, two long fragmented lines were trailing behind her. "_Well, looks like it's a trip to the candy store before I head back. I had no idea some nice metals and flashy gems could be so expensive. Then again, it's not like I use metal in a decorative sense. Weiss wins this time. I might as well let it go and not beat myself about it. It's not like I can whoa..._"

A few stumbling steps forward and the young leader fell on her face into the cold powder. She couldn't think of how fitting it was to be kicked while she was already down with now looking completely foolish to the citizens passing by, some sneaking some snickers at the young leader's misfortune. Ruby didn't blame them, she probably would be doing the same thing. She picked herself up, feeling the crisp snow cling to her face, hair and clothing, quickly trying to brush it off before it melted. With her hands in full contact with the frigid frost, her missing mittens were now in dire need. She searched for a warm-looking store and, ironically, across the street was the dreaded coffee shop that had her in this predicament. Even though it may have gotten her in this mess, the cookie coffee was still available and she was still curious to how it tasted. She reasoned a hot beverage that she could wrap her hands around to keep her from getting sick would actually be the smart decision.

She hopped across the street and got in line, the welcome mat soaked with the melted snow sinking into the squishy fabric, some dribbles a few feet from the eager customers wanting a roasted cup of liquid fuel. Ruby was still checking herself to occupy her time in line, a few packets of snow nestled between the cloths curves. The snow reminded her of Weiss, and that's when she was able to think of her design, the snowflake emblem that is on the back of her jacket. "_Now I'm getting myself excited again. Such a good idea that's going to go to waste. Let's just keep the excitement for the coffee._"

A few less people in line came a ringing from the bell at the entrance. Ruby's short attention turned to the patron and it was a very winded Pyrrha, garbed in brown leather knee high boots, the bottom slightly coated with snow, in dark blue jeans hugging her curves, and in a deep blue tee under a brown cardigan. The young leader madly waved her arms, grabbing Pyrrha's focus instantly and the scared expression she was wearing quickly melted into the warm friendly smile Ruby knows.

The tall red head approached the team leader. "Hey, Ruby. What brings you out here?"

"You know, some shopping around. Why are you so out of breath?"

"Jaune and I were out. Not a date, just wanting to enjoy the town quietly before class starts tomorrow. Out of nowhere, the paparazzi ambush us. We're both used to it, but we were both equally annoyed by it, such a beautiful stroll ruined and so we broke up and had the people give chase. This coffee shop is our rendezvous because of the dim lighting, inconspicuousness, and frankly they make a mean brew. Seems like I'm still a bit better at shaking off the enemy, though. Jaune will get here... eventually." Brief laughter shared between the two. Ruby admired Pyrrha for so many reasons. Her beauty, her battle prowess, her humble nature, but what she was always jealous of is what she saw in Jaune during initiation. She purposely sought him out seeing such a potential in the scraggly boy. In confidence, the warrior did admit that he was kind of cute to boot. It was so much to bank on that seemed to be returning in her favor. In almost half a year, Jaune had pulled a one-eighty and was turning into a better huntsman, slowly, but far better than at the beginning.

"I'm sure he's improving. He'll probably be here before you know it. Sorry your time was spoiled, though. I know you and Jaune don't get to get outside Beacon much with those vultures lurking about," Ruby confided.

"Yeah. It's like a permanent side effect of being famous. First you get the Lien, then you get the power, and then you get..." a deep sigh came from the fond feelings that stream from the constant adoration for her boyfriend. "the cute blonde boy that just so happened to be in your class."

Ruby snickered, finding the very professional exterior fold for a moment as Pyrrha's love overtook her. She wasn't money hungry, but she zeroed in on how much a celebrity like her friend could make. If there were two people in the school who had extra Lien on them it would be Pyrrha and Weiss. Of course, she couldn't ask Weiss for money to buy her own gift, but Ruby and Team JNPR were on excellent terms, hopefully good enough to lend out a helping hand.

Ruby was nervous to ask, but the worst she would get was a very polite no. "Pyrrha, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Ruby. What's up?"

"Pyrrha, look I know I probably might be crossing a line, but could you possibly loan me some money?"

"Yeah, how much? A couple Lien for a croissant?" Pyrrha already reaching for her wallet.

"No..." Ruby was cut off before she could finish by the employee. Ruby and Pyrrha paid together and brought the three drinks, an extra for Jaune, to a secluded table where Ruby offered her proposal. "It's going to sound outrageous, but I was thinking more along the lines of..." Ruby now getting closer so only the redhead could hear. "...seven hundred Lien."

As Ruby returned to her pose, the usual glorious green eyes did shrink with the amount the leader was asking for. Flabbergasted, Pyrrha responded, "I-I, Ruby. That's a rather large amount. I'm not one to be handing out money without a charity or a cause."

Ruby was expecting that answer, but found a loophole to Pyrrha's morals. "Then how about payment for a service. I'll do something for you. Anything aside from cheating in school."

Pyrrha was unsure, but found the perfect answer with her lack of boyfriend. "I got it. Jaune has been getting very lax with his training, mostly when he's been sparring with me. We have been getting more intimate and he's thoroughly disappointed when I'm too tired after, leaving no time for some personal alone time. You take my place for a month and I think we have a deal."

Ruby almost exploded with happiness and the caffeine rush she was getting from the cookie coffee. "Yes. Thank you, Pyrrha. You're the best," the young leader leaping over the table to hug the slender woman. As Pyrrha was finishing the check, the blonde boy wonder came through the door, clutching his chest from a lack of air. Jaune noticed Ruby, who saw her queue to leave and gave the couple the alone time they worked breathlessly hard for.

Ruby could barely stand still in the line at the bank. Each second felt like an eternity, the furor bursting out of her as she got the stack of money. Ruby had to admit that had never seen so much at once, taking a mental picture of it before handing it off the jeweler, who couldn't have been more dumbfounded at the young leader's return with so much money.

The first question was justifiable. "You didn't steal this, did you?"

Ruby laughed, still feeling gitty from accomplishing her goal. "No. I got a loan from a good friend."

"As a businessman, there is no such thing as bad money, but you got a good look about you. I accept and hope you have a design in mind," the elder inquired. Ruby asked for a pencil and paper. She was no artist, but was glad she only had to remember one-eighth of her symbol to get the rest correct. As the jeweler over looked the design, he said there would have to be some liberties to make it work that Ruby was alright with. Diamonds were to be placed on the tips on the solid ends of the snowflake leading towards the middle, as recommended by the expert for a minimalistic approach.

* * *

><p>A couple weeks passed since she left the store. Ruby was in class on her scroll when she received an email from the jeweler saying it's finished. She almost stood up and embarrassed herself with a triumphant 'yes', but was able to bottle it up until the end of class with a stream of jubilation as she raced to the airfield. Ruby was relieved Pyrrha was kind enough to wait until she had gotten the necklace because she overheard the couple talking of plans to spar after.<p>

All she wanted was to cheer Weiss up. Since the day they kissed, Weiss had been more receptive to Ruby's feint flirting. Unfortunately, she was no Yang, who seemingly is able to make Blake's panties drop with a couple smooth lines and a loving touch. The young leader felt like it was the first time she picked up a weapon from her Uncle Qrow. Her movements were clumsy, she was inept in style, and, honestly, just needed to practice. Sadly, she was trying to woo Weiss. A simple blunder would get her a scolding or a flick on the nose. "_I may have messed up, but this is certain to win her over. Sure, I fumbled kissing her good morning by poking her in the eye with my nose and tripping trying to give her an early breakfast in bed, ruining her bedspread. And also me trying to kiss her after having a couple cups of coffee and... Man, I'm bad at this. How was I supposed to know that coffee gives you bad breath? I guess it's more noticeable when your swapping spit with someone. Ugg... I wish I could date Crescent Rose. It would probably be easier._"

Ruby arrived at the jewelry store, the elderly clerk as happy as she was with how his creation turned out. Only a few centimeters larger than the apple was Weiss' snowflake necklace, the diamonds flawlessly complementing the silver base with the web-like structure, flowing outwards from the vectors to the tips. Ruby has seen natural beauty, but the craftsmanship of a skilled expert trumped whatever these silver and diamonds used to be. With her purchase satisfied, the jeweler placed it in a black case and didn't wrap it. The energetic girl had already texted Weiss to meet her by the fountain in an hour. She placed the black box in her gray satchel and made a mad dash for the airship.

Ruby was grateful that the airship was earlier on its schedule and she was in front of the fountain with time to spare. The felt her stomach get butterflies, making her question the yearning of love when it makes you feel as horrible as it does. "_Deep breaths, Ruby. Weiss is going to like it. I know she will. Oh, wait a minute._" Ruby remembered and pulled out a stack of mint strips and placed them on her tongue, tears forming at the extreme concentration of minty freshness. "_I hate mint. It's the worst flavor, but if this does swoon Weiss then I ought to be ready._"

The young leader sat on the ring of the fountain, playfully kicking her feet in the air when the heiress came along. "If this is something we could have done in the comfort of our dorm, I will be a little irritated."

Ruby scrambled to her feet, stumbling in the process from the nervousness. "N-no. I'm not a fan of doing this kind of couple thing with Yang around to see."

Weiss' frown dismantled as she heard 'couple', now intrigued as to what Ruby had been planning. "At least we can both agree to a certain amount of privacy when it comes to these things."

Ruby happily nodded, hand braced against the silver pouch, anticipating her reveal. "So Weiss... I know you said not to worry about the necklace. I couldn't do that. I felt so guilty and I knew I could fix it. I just needed an idea." The young leader brought out the black box, Weiss' eyebrow fully raised and eyes showing slight fear at what could be inside. Ruby brought it up for the heiress to see and, as she opened it, Weiss let out a gasp that she had to cover with a hand, eyes shaking from the fluid building up in the icy orbs.

"It's... it's my emblem?" Weiss could barely get out, Ruby's eyes offering the heiress to take it from her hands. Weiss timidly reached for the box, bringing the necklace closer to her face. With the case in her palm, the snow-haired girl daintily used her index finger to circle around the pendent. The anxious expression fading, replaced with a soft smile, Ruby couldn't have been grinning harder if she tried as her gift seemed to be memorizing her girlfriend.

"_Finally, I did something right. Yes!_" she screamed internally in her mind. Ruby's bliss was cut short as Weiss' smile faded and snapped the box shut. Ruby's mind imploded, her fantasy being snatched away her as the undesirable look on Weiss' face formed. She had no idea what had went wrong and before she could ask Weiss, the heiress spoke up.

"Ruby... this is the most thoughtful, loving, and beautiful gift I've ever received, but... I can't... I can't accept it," Weiss declared as her voice was shaking. The young leader stood devastated as Weiss continued to speak. "I haven't earned the right for this kind of generosity. Not with what I've been withholding from you." Tears forming in her eyes. "I'm scared, Ruby. It terrifies me to do this with you. So many people have professed love to me and betrayed me in the end. It's why I didn't respond when I saw your rose in my suitcase. I've been trying to push myself to be more forward with my feelings, try to act like a couple, but I'm afraid I'll mess it up and this time I'm the one to blame."

Ruby was quick to react as Weiss let a tear fall, wiping it away with her sleeve and cupping the heiress' face. The young leader had never before seen her partner so vulnerable, always carrying herself with such unreal confidence that she never thought she could falter. Here she was though, trembling, crying, and honestly speaking her fears with Ruby. She reasoned if Weiss were to be so clear about her anxieties, it was fair to show that she was on the same page.

"Weiss, it's alright. We're allowed to make mistakes. We're not perfect." Ruby thumb brushed off another tear as it trailed down Weiss' scar. "I'm scared too. I keep goofing, trying to do the most basic of actions that should come natural, but it seems my social lameness stretches in to my romantics as well." Ruby pulled Weiss in, embracing the scared girl, stroking her back to sooth. "I'm in no hurry, Weiss. I'm figuring this out for the first time too. I'll go as slow as you need."

The stiff heiress relaxed, the whimpering subsiding as she wrapped her arms around the leader, tightening the grip. As the girls released, Weiss still held onto Ruby's hands as she gazed deep in her eyes, the blue orbs so majestically calm. The heiress brought Ruby in for a quick peck, rewarding the leader with a job well done. Weiss turned her attention to the gift, picking it up and taking out the necklace, the impressive accessory glimmering in the evening sun. Weiss unhooked the clasp and whipped her arms around Ruby's neck, securing the fastener and pulling back the short locks.

With arms still linked, the heiress was keeping Ruby in her orbit, eyes conveying devotion to her girlfriend. "Weiss, I bought this for you. It feels wrong wearing it."

"It feels more wrong knowing how much money you spent and having it sit in a box. Besides, it actually looks really good on you," Weiss said as she was resting her head against Ruby's, the warmth of her girlfriend transferring through her. With a soft whisper, the heiress professed, "You're actually not as bad a girlfriend as you think. You're certainly improving."

In similar tone, Ruby's wit sparked up, "You're more loving than you say you are. This is new."

"It's cause your breath doesn't smell like a sugary dumpster," Weiss hotly commented. Ruby didn't have time to protest as the heiress moved in and placed her lips on hers, Ruby's heart jolting at the sudden passionate act. Still unfamiliar with romance, the leader awkwardly placed her hand on Weiss' face, the other lovingly found itself on the nape of the heiress' neck. The short-haired girl unconsciously let out a pleasurable moan as she let herself get lost in the session, the satisfying sensations of Weiss' more skillful influence take her. Ruby didn't know how long they were lip locked, but it was far too short, leaving the younger girl wanting more as Weiss pulled away.

After a small moment of silence, the couple awkward about what to do or say after it ends, Weiss motioned Ruby back to the room, claiming her tea was only getting colder. Ruby liked holding the heiress' hand, but with the atmosphere so romantically positive, she decided to be more bold. The young leader wrapped her arms around one of Weiss'. As the heiress looked down to see the suspicious behavior, Ruby was already beaming a smile. The cuteness of it all was enough to have Weiss grin, still keeping her usual frown as she kept the two in a fast pace back. "_I'm starting to to get the hang of this, but I don't think it would be half as confident if I wasn't with the right partner. Weiss, you beautiful, brash angel._"


	8. Weiss: Frozen Love Worth Thawing

Ask for 100 followers, get 100. Ask for 150 and get that as well. I now ask for something that might be a little hard to achieve, but let's see how far I can test the universe. I now ask for to take Miss Barbara or Miss Kara out for a more than moderately priced dinner. In seriousness, thank you for those who click the fav/follow button. Keep it up. Give a shout out again to Bakki, now the art is finished, sorry for the delay and it will be posted on his page soon. He is a busy man and I hope you like it. We'll get back to Bumblebee one day. Fav/follow, review and enjoy some more White Rose.

Weiss: Frozen Love Worth Thawing

Winter was clearing up in Vale, technically, but still leaving a very chilly climate across the campus. Mind, this was not a problem for Yang or even Blake as she stood around the walking heater so much one would think they were glued at the hip. With the other two gone, it left Weiss and Ruby alone in the dorm room, time that felt incredibly short as Ruby would be called out constantly by Jaune and Pyrrah to help the boy train. This wasn't the best news to hear for Weiss, but she knew Ruby had to come up with something to pay for that necklace.

Over the past month, the heiress had noticed how much Ruby loved her creation. Her girlfriend may have bought the necklace for her, but it seemed Ruby had taken a liking to it. It was a little part of Weiss she was able to take everywhere to proudly show her connection to the heiress to the rest of the world. She wasn't to keen to the idea at first, but the heiress found it hard to rain on Ruby's parade. She had never met a person so appreciative to be with her that she would carry a small signal around her neck to the devotion to her. The charm was rubbing off on the heiress in the progressing month, a small smile forming whenever Ruby would go to her dresser and automatically reach for the case, and place the jewelry on her neck.

Unfortunately, this was the only real progress that was made to their relationship. Weiss was taking the tiniest of steps to open up to her girlfriend. The heiress relieved that she had someone like Ruby, someone who cares about her enough to respect her comfortably with romance. The two walking through halls hand-in-hand was fine along with occasional peck on the cheek or lips. The only real force that would stop them is Yang. Not that she was some bully protecting Ruby, but even Weiss found it intimidating to have her older sister around. She would still force Ruby to sleep in a separate bed, the leader only complying because she knew Yang would take a picture and make it her wallpaper on her scroll.

Weiss still tried inching out of her comfort zone, knowing she had to in order to be a proper girlfriend at some point. Ruby initiated most of the acts, Weiss forcing herself to not scold the leader for the informality, but embrace her expressions of love. She didn't like to admit it, but her spontaneous acts of being cute were hard to find a problem with, especially as Weiss was slowly letting her guard down. The occasional kiss given if Ruby was being exceptional. The heiress didn't like using reinforcement techniques to get her girlfriend to act better, but if anything, it was a reinforcement for her. The more loving interactions from Ruby, the better.

Weiss was sitting at her desk, jotting down notes from her history book. Professor Oobleck, yet again rambled in class long enough to not cover the material, left her to pick up the supposed professional's slack. Regrettably, the part they were in the course wasn't too interesting to Weiss. It didn't pertain to her in any particular fashion as a Schnee and as a person, it was absolutely, soul-crushingly boring. The heiress sketched Ruby on another piece of paper, getting angry at herself that her thoughts were still invaded by the short-haired girl.

"_I swear, if love didn't have some benefits to it, I would have gone mental and be shredding this piece of paper up. I'm no artist, but this doesn't look too bad. I'd show it to Ruby if she wouldn't make a big deal out of it, but I'll just toss it in the trash before she comes in. Ruby... you have no idea how long I've been counting down the days till you would be free from Pyrrha's hook. I know I've been giving you the cold shoulder in terms of physical tenderness for you, but I think this should be a good day to break out of the shell and put my best foot forward._"

The heiress produced a small smile as she opened the drawer to her desk, a miniature bottle of goldenrod oil sitting, waiting to be used. "_You've been coming home so sore that I know this would be a proper way to repay you with how loving you've been. I still have yet to prove myself worthy of that necklace, but I hope this is my first step to it. You give so much, Ruby. With all the kisses, hugs, compliments... Even when you screw them up, somehow you're able to turn it around. I'm glad I was able to get Yang and Blake out of the room. I let them know of an Achieve Men signing happening after class ended, the only time I will ever scour the internet searching for that dreadful music. They should be out till I'm finished._" Weiss surveyed the room, the creeping neurosis was kicking in as she saw how plain and normal everything looked. "_Nothing about this says romance. I knew it, Weiss, you forgot something. There's no mood, no candles, no pleasant scents, not even rose petals. There's not a dimmer switch on the lights. Maybe if I get a blanket I could do something. Oh my gosh, what's Ruby going to think when I just ask her for a massage out of the blue? Maybe I can..._"

In the panic, the dorm room opened. Weiss' eyes shrinking as her plan had sprung a leak and was now losing buoyancy. Ruby shuffled into the room, Crescent Rose folded in her arms, face tired, and hair matted from the sweat. She placed her weapon at the front of Weiss' bed, sat down, and unlaced her boots, fingers fumbling from the weariness. "Hey Weiss... how was your day?"

The heiress taken by the attention of her before Ruby's own strain. "I-I'm fine. I can see you're not faring too well, though. Jaune can't work that much up of a workout, can he?"

"No, but I'm pushing myself to make him better," she said while slipping a boot off. "Pyrrah hired me to train with him. You know training is meaningless if he's not being tested and I'd feel guilty if I put in the minimal of effort for a friend."

"Yeah. I know," Weiss observing the necklace, the evening sun hitting the diamonds in a stunning display. "You going to take a shower, as usual?"

"Yeah. I feel gross. I think I might actually call it day afterward," Ruby reluctantly spoke before heading off into the bathroom with pajamas in tow. Weiss, now left alone, rethought her strategy.

"_Well, I hate using this as an excuse for my poor planning, but I think Ruby needs more a girlfriend than a lover today. I'll still give her a massage, but the sensual oils are going to have to wait for a rainy day. Ruby's happiness comes before my wanting of intimacy. Although... no. Weiss, stick to the plan._"

The heiress sat on her bed, knowing the leader would plop herself on it after a shower. Her heart was racing as she was reviewing the techniques of a good massage on her scroll. She's been to a spa a few times, but didn't want to undress Ruby. Weiss' face heated at the thought of a topless Ruby. The heiress shook the lewd thoughts from her head, remembering to keep it honorable for her girlfriend's well-being.

Ruby's short hair made her showering trips brief in comparison to everyone else with thick treads of hair. The young leader came out with a slew of steam, clearly refreshed with a towel around her neck, preferring to naturally dry her hair and straighten it later. As expected, Ruby sat on Weiss' spread after dropping her necklace and scroll off on the bookshelf, the leader motioning the heiress to join her on the edge with a few hard pats and a wink.

Weiss gathered up her courage, trusting Ruby wouldn't be to put down from the unexpected action as she slipped out of her jacket. She crawled to her girlfriend, balancing herself on her knees as he positioned herself behind the leader. The heiress didn't have time to hesitate before Ruby would question her. She placed her hands on Ruby's traps, the short-girl shuddering at the contact.

"W-Weiss, what's with..."

"Don't question and relax," Weiss ordered in a warming tone. "You've been coming home exhausted and I've been thinking of a way to try and alleviate you, but Yang's been getting in the way of that. You wouldn't be working so hard if it wasn't for me in the first place. I'm sure you can agree that this is the least I could do for you."

Weiss felt a twang of pain as Ruby's muscles weren't letting up, making her second guess this plan entirely if the huntress wasn't ready for this kind of contact. Eventually, the leader let loose, simultaneously unwinding Weiss, now able to concentrate on her girlfriend. Ruby may have been small, but she sure was sturdy. It was hard to think her soft skin could harbor such a strapping body. The heiress was trying not to derive too much pleasure from handling Ruby, but is was hard to suppress the smile after hearing the leader's grateful moans.

"Tell me where else your hurting?" Weiss asked.

"My arms are sore, but I'll live. Can you move farther down my back, though? Jaune was able to land a hit today," Ruby asked.

"I need you to lay on your belly then," Weiss requested, Ruby following orders and placed her head on the heiress' pillow. Before Weiss realized how it looked, she had already climbed on top of Ruby, straddling the girl. Her pale face was burning red as she was lifting the leader's pajama tank up, Ruby not minding with a tranquil face accompanied by a peaceful smile was letting the heiress do what she must. "_Keep it together, Weiss,_" she was thinking as she was kneading the leader's back, a few tender spots still healing from Jaune's blow were delicately handled.

"Weiss," Ruby moaned out, the heiress getting redder, but still addressed the girl underneath her.

"What's up?"

"If this was all you were going to do, I'm fine with Yang or Blake in the room. We fight. We get sore and it's really nice to have someone do this. It's not embarrassing to take care your partner," Ruby explained.

"Well, it wasn't exactly just going to be this kind of massage. I was going to give you something a little more... sensual. Something I wouldn't want Blake or Yang around for." A small silence occurred after Weiss' confession. She almost retracted the statement until Ruby broke the silence.

"You know... It's alright if... if you made it more romantic." Weiss noticed the leader's face bloom red harder with each word. "We're alone... we can if you want."

The only thing that could have hinted more at what was being said was a written invitation and a detailed description of the event. Weiss' skilled hands were losing their feel as the mood was shifting. The perfectionist in her having to be shut down, Weiss knowing there was nothing in her mind in terms of experience to help her anyways. She bent down, kissing the small of Ruby's back, the girl shuttering at the touch. She trailed kisses up, kissing through the cloth on Ruby's top until she reached her shoulders. Small tentative pecks were made on the strong muscle, Weiss' hands moving up to balance herself as Ruby arched her back to meet Weiss' lips. With the leader's neck craned, Weiss took her advantage and cupped her face, deepening the kiss, a soft moan let out from her girlfriend.

The gentle flourishing of kisses was going well, Weiss letting herself give into the session, embracing all that Ruby had to offer until she felt something wet and slippery slide past her lips. The heiress knew immediately it was no mistake, heart pounding as she felt her body resisting to Ruby's affection. Weiss let Ruby's charm lure her in, the heiress' tongue begging entrance into her mouth. Ruby accepted, mouth parting as Weiss' tongue entered, the firm muscle lightly gracing the other, another type of massage Weiss hadn't thought about. The slickness of the embrace was like pleasure that Weiss had never experienced, the feeling, the vulnerability, the love all taken to a new plateau. Ruby turned herself over, the session getting more intense with the leader lacing her fingers around Weiss' neck. A girlish moan escaped her mouth, Weiss surprising herself with how receptive she was by Ruby's love making.

A loud rattling startled the girls, the session broken by the loud vibration of scroll against wood. As much as Weiss wanted to continue, the leader had less than fabulous news to share. "Yang and Blake are back from the signing. What do you want to eat?" she sheepishly asked.

Weiss, disappointed that it was over, meekly answered, "Just some pizza." Ruby quickly sent off the text and returned back to her, faces flushed and breathing tempering. Weiss unable to look away from Ruby's silver eyes, glossed with the after effects of the passionate session. Both still awkward after something new had very little to say, but it was not hard reading into what the other was thinking. Ruby reached for the necklace on the bookshelf, offering it to Weiss.

"Ruby, no. This was great, but this doesn't warrant something that special."

"It was better than great, Weiss. It was awesome. And let's not forget that this came about because you were treating me with a massage. I say you earned it," Ruby dangling the necklace in front of Weiss.

The heiress pressed the issue harder, "And I say I didn't. Ruby, there will be a day where I can wear your gift proud, but making you moan a few times isn't my primary goal of earning it... but it was sensual, right?"

"Yeah it was," Ruby eagerly responded. Leaping into Weiss' body, she planted a few more kisses on her lips before the heiress was able to protest.

"Hey... hey. Stop, you," the playfulness eliciting a small laugh. "Yang and Blake will be here any minute. We'll try again some other time."

Ruby got off Weiss, a smile from ear to ear. The leader ascended to her bed, making the scene look as innocent as possible before the other two entered. Weiss got such a rush from the kiss that she couldn't wait till it came next. "Thanks, Ruby, for being patient."

The smaller girl leaned over her hanging bed, short locks flowing downward. "It's well worth the wait, I assure you," the heiress smiled, the leader's mirth precious enough for one lass kiss, Weiss finding it awkward inverted, but still pleasant.

"_Oh how things could have been horribly different if I didn't embrace you when I did. My next step will be the one to earn the necklace. I already have the idea in mind. We eat this food at school and it's alright, but it's nothing compared to a home cooked meal. I have some connections to some of the high profile restaurants in Vale, hopefully good enough to let me borrow the kitchen. I will show Ruby what my chefs taught me when mother and father weren't around to indoctrinate me._"

* * *

><p>"Oh my goodness, Weiss. This is beautiful!" Ruby exclaimed, her excitement couldn't contain itself and was already bolting to the barred edge of the rooftop. Weiss rolled her eyes, but wasn't expecting anything less from her girlfriend. She had spent the last week thinking of how to impress her and if going to any of her father's meeting with clients taught her anything is that location matters. Weiss didn't like to use her connections as a Schnee, but she knew of the many dust retailers that were dotted around Vale. With a quick name drop of who she was, the Dustperado store manager allowed her the use of the rooftop to have a picnic with Ruby.<p>

She joined the spot next to the young leader, patting herself on the back for picking such an amazing spot. The afternoon sun was gently hitting the town, soft reflections of the light making the bustling, colorful commercial district even more quaint from the higher vantage point. The store was slightly atop a hill, giving the perfect view of the narrow streets of the old town as Weiss could see the citizens making their rounds. As she followed the street towards the ocean, a glistening view of the sun hitting water topped off the visual sundae. The few sea birds that flew inland were canceling out the normal hustle and bustle of the population below.

"Ruby, please take a seat. Should be able to take this all in from some comfort," Weiss offered. Ruby nodded, taking a few steps back to a circular table with relatively cheap seats. The heiress wanted more extravagance, but resisted the urge to bus in chairs and a table from a five star restaurant as it would be too easy. From an early age, she knew she could buy a lot of things with the right amount of Lien. Friends, favors, and respect were all on the table, but she refused to buy Ruby's love. Even more stubborn that usual, she was going to keep her conviction and use as little Lien as possible to earn her girlfriend's affection. It's particularly the reason she was a bit tired as well.

Weiss woke up early and requested the use of one of the restaurants the company frequents to for meetings, utilizing some of the skill she hoped she picked up from watching the cooks when she was a little girl. Using her good judgment and some internet knowledge, she was hoping to hand make a meal. With unlimited possibilities around her, she kept the dish within her realm of expertise and made chicken ravioli with some scratch-made alfredo sauce or marinara, giving her date an option. Also, she couldn't forget dessert. It wasn't handmade, but Ruby always mentions her affinity for gooey brownies and took a few squares for herself before packing it and leaving it to keep warm in the basket.

Weiss brought out a small pot warmer, placing the ravioli on it for a quick reheating. "I knew I would use this thing more outside of missions. Father needs to stop sending such frivolous things. I'm going to be forced to give some away just so I don't overrun the room."

"Well, Weiss it's fine if you take up a little bit of mine. We are dating after all," Ruby reaching over and clasping the back on her pale hand. Weiss looked over, slightly annoyed by the enthusiasm, but still felt the warmth of love from her partner.

"It actually is still a little weird when I hear that."

"Why's that?"

Weiss looked towards the streets, unable to look Ruby in the eyes when admitting something so personal. "There was always these fleeting thoughts in my head before I dated you. Thoughts of '_who would ever like me?_' or '_could I even let my barriers down long enough for someone to get to know me?_' Being a rational person, I was able to quell most of those negative, irrational thoughts, but it did scare me a little. It would keep me up some nights from the unsettling idea of being alone, but let's just say you've put a breath of fresh air into my thinking."

"I guess all you needed was one person to change your mind."

"No, not just a person. I think it had to be more specific than that," Weiss turned meeting the silver eyes intently positioned on her. "I think it had to be you. You changed me a lot before we started dating. You were the one giving me chances, forcing almost every opportunity to get me to like you before and after initiation. You put in a lot more effort than any one else in the past to get my attention and that really means a lot to me."

"And that's why you aren't ready to accept this?" The leader responded, picking up the snowflake necklace delicately off her chest.

"Precisely. It's my turn to give that effort, Ruby. And I also hope to earn it today." Weiss turned around her hand in Ruby's palm, grasping it tightly, letting herself flirt freely to see her date's appreciation.

"Well, if we're talking about stuff that's weird, I've never thought that someone of your social class would ever even see me, let alone date me," Ruby confessed. Weiss' ears perking up at the comment. "I never really grew up with a lot of money. Sometimes the treat from Uncle Qrow would be fast food because money was so tight. Even with my cheery disposition, I didn't expect to find someone outside of my status. I never expected dates to be on rooftops or Lien dropped on a whim to impress me. Not that what I'm saying is that a reason I like you is because of your wealth, I mean, it's nice and all for like financial security reasons and also I'm sure..."

"I get your point, Ruby. Please continue on past the blabbering and make your statement," Weiss opting out of another famous word blunder.

A brief sigh to collect her thoughts and Ruby continued. "I know I shouldn't be worried. Mostly because it is impossible, but I worry that I won't live up to a certain expectation, even as a huntress, in terms of money. I mean this necklace almost cost me an arm and a leg. I can't imagine birthdays and anniversaries with my lackluster ability to buy something, to give you what you deserve."

Ruby's eyes breaking away, only for Weiss to guide her from the chin back to her gaze. "Ruby, I cannot stress this enough, but you can't let that get in the way of our relationship. Until the day comes where we find an even better energy resource, I will always be wealthy. You may have set the bar extremely low at the beginning, but you're improving everyday with genuine affection. Even if you're screwing something up, you somehow are able to bounce back with something true from your heart. That's something you can't find in a store. Believe me, I've looked for it."

Ruby smiled big, blushing and averting eye contact for a moment as Weiss words were having a flushing effect. "Th-thanks, Weiss. I know I'm not the one who allowed to say you can have the necklace or not, but if were up to me you'd have it now."

The heiress letting out a small smile, liking that her plan was working. "Like I said. It's full effort to earn it today. Now, if you don't mind. I think the food should be ready." The heiress popped the top and quickly spooned a portion to Ruby, the young leader folding out napkins for the both of them. The leader taking marinara sauce and Weiss took her alfredo, the realization of the condiment coincidence causing her to cringe. As soon as Weiss took a bite, she felt something was off. She knew she rushed the dish, but she didn't think that the short amount of time caused the chicken to not be cooked all the way through. After a few hard chews and a swallow, she couldn't deny her poor dish. She looked over in horror to Ruby, making the same face whenever she eats a vegetable, struggling to not make a comment.

"You can stop now, Ruby. Mine tastes just as bad as yours," Weiss ordered, folding up her napkin from her lap.

"No. It' so good, Weiss. I can't wait for seconds," the unmistakable lie straining through the sentence as she forcefully packed another morsel into her mouth.

Weiss, now fully annoyed by the deceit, had to be more direct in her approach. "I'm going to drop an obvious point so it gets across. I don't like people who lie to me, Ruby."

The leader almost choked at the subtle threat, beating her chest to get the large mouthful down. A large swig of water and a couple deep inhales, brought the real answers out of Ruby. "I wouldn't say it's bad. It certainly isn't good. Maybe the place you got it from got a new chef or some bad ingredients." A peppering of some of the nicest letdowns the heiress has ever heard.

Weiss never liked admitting failure so much that the term almost wasn't part of her vocabulary, but she couldn't find a better definition of her culinary attempt. "Actually, it was my cooking," she muttered under her breath.

The leader picked up on the sentence in the stilled air. "Oh umm... wait wait wait. I know what's missing. Maybe if I..."

"Ruby. I appreciate you trying to spin what you said into something positive because I made it, but I messed up." Weiss digging into the basket to bring out dessert. "Here, just snack on this. I'm going to use the restroom and I'll call in some restaurant that will deliver. Probably a Schnee bribing with three times the payment will have them here within a half an hour."

Before Ruby could respond, Weiss was huffing past her towards the exit to the store. She thought she was pretending to get some peace when she mentioned the toilet, but turns out nature was calling and headed to the washroom. After private matters, she washed her hands, gazing into the mirror, her eyes meeting her scowl, furrowed to the point one would think it was permanent. "_Well, there goes today's attempt to be a good girlfriend. I know Ruby's intimidated by all my money, but let's face it, all the Lien in the world crafted me. My looks are maintained by the finest beauticians and beauty care products. My weapon is made of the finest metals and, not to toot my own horn, the best dust. Beacon will no doubt get a building named after me once I graduate as the desperate calls for money start coming. Lien is so ingrained in me I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up branded on me at some point. Maybe I should just give in... I seem to be pretty useless outside of flexing my credit card._"

Her perfectionist, automatic thoughts rolled punches into her ego one after another. None of them letting up as she was cleaning herself up, the minor awfulization of the situation only growing worse in her mind. "_Great, how am I going to put on a happy face for Ruby when I feel like this? Forget it. I'll just take her back to Beacon after we eat. I can attempt to minimize this failure._"

As she left the restroom, she heard a faint shriek on the roof. Weiss didn't dismiss it and bolted towards the stairway. An arm from the corner of her blindsided her, knocking the ice princess off her feet, slamming her head and body to the ground. With the adrenaline coursing through her, she tried to get up, only to be assisted and resisted from moving as someone had moved her arm behind her back, the other putting her on a forcible choke hold. Weiss' free hand grasped, trying to pry this death grip off of her as she was slowly losing air.

"Stop fighting it, you little twerp. Just go to sleep," the struggled grumbling came from behind her ear. Weiss was panicking, but her training was kicking in, eyes focusing at what was in front of her. Luckily, she was in a dust shop, her specialty, but didn't want to blow the roof off by wildly trying to push her and her assailant until she hit a volatile pile. In front of her was three glass tubes of red dust, highly potent. She kicked upward on the shelving, the three vials rolling to her feet. Using one more kick, she knocked her attacker in the shins, causing him to lose his balance and crash them both to the hardened wooden floor. A tube was in reach. Weiss, popped the top and tossed the contents into the man's face. He started screaming until the particles hit his sinuses, and then a small boom.

As the smoke settled, the heiress still took her battle ready stance, but it seemed the small amount of dust was enough to daze and confuse the man, barely conscious as he was slowly writhing on the floor. Garbed in black military vests, boots, and pants she could have guessed mercenary, but the patch on his arm spoke the loudest. The recognizable red wolf with red claw streaks in the background.

"The White Fang?" she muttered, confused, but also putting the pieces together in her head. She looked around, the store actually in perfect condition aside from the scuffle's collateral damage. She rushed behind the counter to see the store clerk, breathing and unconscious. "All of a sudden they are getting sneakier with their robberies, I see." A loud thud came from the upstairs, Weiss immediately remembering what triggered her haste in the first place. She took the other two fire vials and rushed past the magazines and cases.

She burst through the rooftop entrance, quickly able to find her target fighting hand to hand with the enemy. Ruby was definitely not trained in the arts of close-quarters combat, relying on her semblance as she dashed and darted from her three opponents. Weiss didn't hesitate, and quickly utilized the last of her open bottle, forming a small glyph on her hand as she fired a concentrated shot of fire at the feet of The White Fang. The fight momentarily paused as the party saw a new challenger approaching. Weiss beckoned Ruby over to her. The sides seemed to be turning in their favor until two of the militia members grabbed both Ruby's arms and jumped off the building.

"Ruby!" Weiss shouted, bursting at full speed before the third member ran interference. A small black baton in his hand, ready to strike. The heiress didn't want to, but it seemed Dustperado was about to make an insurance claim. She grabbed a full vile of dust, readied it in her hand. She wasn't sure how long she could be patient, but waited till he made the first strike. A very quick game of chicken later, Weiss produced a large glyph under her, igniting the dust. A very powerful explosion rocking the rooftop, the cement flooring cracking under her, witnessing the aftershocks of the blast.

Weiss didn't waste time as she saw a black APC unit drive away. She couldn't be sure, but she would take a guess that Ruby was in tow. Without hesitating, she released her semblance again, manipulating her final ammo source into a bullet. It may have had a head start, but Weiss was confident in her skill. She released the shot, time seemingly slowing as it was heading for a back tire. Before it could connect, the back of the APC opened, a crate being tossed out intercepting the explosion.

Weiss' heart dropped as she looked with dread as the vehicle was getting away. Unwilling to accept this defeat, she ran and kept running in the direction of where she thought Ruby was, each step wishing her semblance was running at a lightning speed like her partner. "_No. No. No! This can't be happening. This was supposed to be a date. How did it end up with a kidnapping? I either have the worst luck or I truly am a failure. I should have been able to save Ruby. How was I so sloppy? I hate myself... I hate myself... I hate..._"

Weiss didn't know how far she traveled, but as she looked around with glassy eyes, she knew wasn't even in the commercial district anymore. Her legs were tired, she collapsed to the sidewalk, her chest taking in much needed air. In an unfamiliar place, alone and drained, she let a few tears fall, the impact of what's happened settling in. She clenched her heart, with the adrenaline wearing off, now feeling the amount of taxing she was putting on herself. Weiss, still in a logical frame of mind, knew she could only rest momentarily. If there was one thing her calculated parents did teach her was crying and sitting around got her nowhere. Even if she had to do this with eyes pooled with water, she was going to save Ruby.

Weiss didn't know where she was, but that wouldn't matter so long as the cab company she hailed did. She clumped up next to an industrial building, looking like a vagrant with a nice sense of style. Her white figure stood out amongst the gloominess of the destitute part of town. Weiss thanked her lucky stars she could handle herself in a fight, not too worried if someone were to pull off another mugging with the way she was feeling. She lay her head on her knees and she squeezed her legs to her chest, formulating the next step while driving out the negative automatic thoughts.

"_I'm going to have to be toting Ruby's weapon around for awhile. If I am to rescue her, I might as well make her part of the escape. But going back to Beacon might actually be worse than storming wherever The White Fang may be hiding. I know I'm going to regret this, but there's no way I can do this alone. I'm going to have to recruit Blake... and Yang. She's going to absolutely trounce me into the ground, fulfilling that threat she made a few months ago. There's no one else to really turn to, though. This is my death sentence then. I go out either by foolishly going against The White Fang alone or have Yang knock my head off my shoulders. Least the latter gets Ruby out safe. Ruby says she's a bad girlfriend. Well, I think I might have her beat. If only I wasn't so closed off, unable to accept Ruby's love, would we even be in this mess? Because of me, I might have lost..._"

"Hey, aren't you friends with that cat Faunus?"

Lost in her thoughts, Weiss hadn't even noticed the rolled up jeans and black and yellow sneakers in her peripheral vision. She averted her gaze to address the familiar voice, the Faunus with scraggly blonde hair, a clear lacking for buttoning a shirt, and a blonde monkey's tail was hovering over her. He had a smile plastered, friendly, but could tell his acquaintance was also reserved with fear of her.

"Yes, that's me. I'm not certain I got your name, but Sun, is it?" Weiss inquired.

"Yeah. I'm not here to be a nuisance or anything. You just seemed strangely out of place here. Weiss, if I recall," he mentioned back.

Weiss stuck out her hand, reaching over to give a proper greeting. "Weiss Schnee. I'm sure you've heard of it."

"Schnee is a very ill-liked name around Faunus. Watch how you greet yourself in the future. So I doubt you're here for business or pleasure. What brings you to this crummy part of town? And, I'm going to put this out there, what's with the clear markings of someone who was using dust?" Sun cheekily pointed out.

Weiss hadn't had time to look at her appearance, but white was not the best to combat dirt, grime, gun powder, dust powder, and basically anything. Her boots were scuffed from black marks, the trimming on her jacket frayed and battle skirt dirtied by the sidewalk. She didn't know if she could confide in the Faunus. With such a natural disdain for the them, and not really sure how to feel about this one in particular was pushing her towards lying. She remembered Blake, though, and how she had been so wrong to discriminate. Sun approached her with a caring attitude, not to rob her, hurt her or even bad talk the Schnee name, despite his negative feelings about it. He was a neutral party. A neutral party that helped stop a major White Fang operation before.

The cab approached them. Weiss was guarded, but she now found a partner that wouldn't immediately kill her after freeing Ruby. "Get in the cab. I'll make it worth your while."

Sun's face dropped, shocked at the sudden proposal and prompted to defending his actions. "Alright. I don't know what kind of vibe you're getting from me, but I'm not some sort of gigolo or anything. I'm flattered, but..."

Weiss reached over and gave a generous slug to the arm. "You idiot. I didn't mean it like that. I need your help. Just get in." The heiress didn't know if being her usual fiery self would have worked, but it seemed the monkey had a flair for adventure. That or he wasn't taught at a young age to not be bribed into a stranger's vehicle. Either way, Weiss was about to make him and offer he couldn't refuse. As the two were making their way to the other local dust store, she filled him in on the situation.

"I have no leads and you seemed to have a wealth of information last time. Also, judging from Blake's overall praise of your performance, you handled yourself extremely well against Roman. I'll pay you handsomely."

"You had me at trying to save Ruby. I didn't meet her long, but she seemed like good kid and anything to get back at The White Fang I'm down for. As for the money, how much are we talking about?"

"You know I'm a Schnee. You're going to be paid well, especially since you might be covering me from Yang. I just need to check my bank statements when this is all said and done."

"Getting paid for something will be rather nice. I won't have to steal for a few weeks," Sun offhandedly mentioned. The soft comment did resonate in Weiss. She forgets how impoverished some of the Faunus are. She did promise herself after getting to know Blake better to be amend her attitudes to Faunus. What she was originally was going to pay him quadrupled in her mind.

They entered From Dust Till Dawn and Weiss quickly restocked on supplies while simultaneously calling both Ruby and her weapon lockers to meet them outside the store. "So, tell me everything you know, Sun."

"Word around the street is that for the most part The White Fang have divided their operations around the city. I've seen at least three. There could be one more, but let's not get into that unless we have to," the monkey Faunus explained.

Weiss listened intently as she was gathering cyan powder, remembering she was low on it for Myrtenaster. "I was headed deep into the industrial part. Any way we can focus our search with that information?"

"There's two for sure there. If I had to take a lousy guess, there is the huge warehouse where I know I've seen APCs and stolen freight containers. We can start there."

"Excellent. If you claim it's as large as you say, then maybe it's more centralized of their operations, most likely a place to bring a hostage," Weiss casually said, the store clerk not even minding the candid conversation of militia takeovers as the two were checking out.

They exited, the lockers waiting for them outside the front. Weiss opened hers and quickly was refilling her weapon, collecting all the possible ammo she could need for taking on the White Fang head on. Sun picked up on the urgency. Watching the heiress fumble around made him curious as to what's in the other locker. He nonchalantly opened it to find Crescent Rose bundled up. He picked it up, admiring the compactness of the deadly scythe.

"Kudos to this girl. This weapon folds out to be massive, but she is able to get it into the size of a small child," Sun commented, Weiss immediately seizing the weapon out of his hands.

"Don't touch her things," she said, clearly struggling with the weight of Crescent Rose. Sun offered to lend his strength, but Weiss kept pulling away, clutching Ruby's weapon to her chest.

"Whoa, chill with the hostility there, Princess. I wasn't going to steal it. You look like you can barely carry it, though. I'll take..."

"You will take your reward when this is over. This is my responsibility. I'm carrying Ruby's stuff. Are we clear?" Weiss ordered, brows furrowed glaring at the Faunus. He was threatened, but wasn't a stranger to harsh tones, almost as if Weiss shouting made him more sympathetic to the mission.

"Crystal," he said lowly. Weiss shut the lockers and had them sent back to Beacon. She asked Sun where to go and followed him into the industrial district, the sun almost hitting the horizon as the two were more than a hundred yards from the compound. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop, Weiss was straining to keep up, the added mass of Crescent Rose throwing off her footwork. After a few stumbles, Sun couldn't help, but poke into the issue. "Is she worth all this?"

Weiss furrowed her stare to the white shirt, knowing full well what he meant, finding it detestable that he would be such a brown noser. "Of course. She's my girlfriend."

"That's not exactly what I meant," Sun continuing to keep his pace as he explained. "Had plenty of girlfriends, but I don't think I would be going the lengths of discomfort you are to get any of the them back."

"I thought you were the good-hearted street rat. How is it you wouldn't rescue any of them?"

"I said I wouldn't rescue any of them the way you are. One of my girlfriends was actually put in a slave trade and was able to bust her out, but I had friends, told some family, and used all the resources I could. You, on the other hand, are almost stripping yourself of every advantage you have to make this even more successful. You hire a pretty random Faunus, avoid Ruby's sister, and refuse to use any of the Lien at your disposal. That's why I ask."

Weiss had to acknowledge when she was acting foolish, blaming the concept that she's been afraid to admit for a long while. Afraid that the simple utterance of it would be a point of no return. She couldn't deny it anymore, though. The whole reason she did avoid Yang is because she didn't want to disappoint one of the few family Ruby has left, earning the place as Ruby's girlfriend. Same reason she was not using her riches. Her parents money wasn't going to earn Ruby's love, only she could.

"Yes... yes, she's worth all this and more. It's because she's the only person to get me to admit this and mean it. I love Ruby Rose," Weiss startling herself with how easy the words slipped past her lips, the swelling in her heart from admitting what she wanted to say at the end of today if it went as planned. In her mind, all the plans did was change. She was still going to earn Ruby's love before tomorrow, instead of a lovely date it would be a dreadful battle. A small smirk spread across her face as the compound came into sight, foreseeing the destruction that was about to come upon it, thinking how Ruby would find this far more enjoyable than anything she could have arranged.

"_I swore that I would earn your love today, Ruby. Mostly because I can't hold it back for you any longer. It's been burning inside me for awhile and I'm kicking myself that it would take a kidnapping for it to be pouring out of me. I'm coming for you. Just sit tight, Ruby._"


	9. Ruby: Rescue the Rose

Well, that more than moderately priced dinner with Miss Barbara or Kara didn't happen. Which would be a bummer if I had the possibility of meeting anyone from RT. I forgot what days Comic Con were lol, so a small tweaking of that impossible dream. Now for things that did actually happen, thank you guys for helping me reach 200+ followers. It's legitimately fucking awesome. As for the story, this is the last of White Rose we'll see for awhile, the next update of this will finally come back to Bumblebee. My artist, Bakki, will have a new picture up, hopefully before the next update, but we'll see. Again, thank you for taking the time to read this, hitting the fav/follow and leaving reviews. Keep it up and enjoy.

Ruby: Rescue the Rose

"Wait, Weiss. I know..." Ruby called out, the door to the dust store slamming as her date exited the roof. The young leader thought about chasing after her, wanting nothing but to quell Weiss' thoughts, but she knew it was better if she sat and let the heiress stew. She had already accidentally insulted her cooking and probably put her on edge with her confession of being intimidated by Weiss' wealth. She folded her hands into her face, confounded by her denseness.

"_Weiss has never been one to accept apologies, I have to sort of own up to what I said. She looked so hurt. But what am I to do? Everything that seems to come out of my mouth today makes matters worse. I can't believe I said that about her money. I was meaning to never reveal that. Seeing as she tries so hard to separate herself from that luxury, proving herself in other ways... like making her date a nice meal. She could have easily gotten a table at a five star restaurant, bought the most expensive gowns for us to wear, and have us chaperoned. She restrains herself from doing that for her pride, and now, me with my concern. She says I always figure something out. Hopefully, as I'm cleaning up this, I'll think of a way to turn it around._"

Ruby folded the ravioli into the thick lap napkins, nibbling on the brownie as she was toiling, knowing Weiss was downstairs ordering some sort of five course meal. The least she could do was have the table ready for the meal. The leader felt apprehensive, blaming herself for having Weiss to resort to her riches when so far she was really charmed with the effort Weiss had put in. "_Must be hard with billions of Lien behind your name when you're trying to leave a mark of your own. Maybe that's why she tries so hard. She doesn't want to be that person who's remembered for just being a rich Schnee, but rather Weiss, the expert huntress; Weiss, the brilliant entrepreneur; or Weiss, Ruby's greatest girlfriend. I guess a commoner like me wouldn't have the slightest clue. Maybe I should..._"

Ruby's thoughts were nixed as she heard multiple footsteps behind her. They rushed as they got closer, the leader bursting her semblance to have a man knocking over the heater and table, the utensils crashing to the floor. The young leader was always amazed how fast she was able to switch into her training, now crouched and analyzing the situation. There were three men, no Faunus attributes present unless they were concealed under their black vests and jackets. The spine-chilling realization that The White Fang was paying this dust store a visit as she saw the symbol accessorizing their outfits.

Ruby didn't pull punches, although the enemies reaction to her blows might have said different. Ruby was dashing back and forth, allowing them to make the first strikes, using the momentum of her speed to be a delivering force to her attacks, but she was no hand to hand combatant, regretting declining Yang all those times she offered to train. The lessons sure would be making this battle shorter as she was tirelessly hitting her opponents. The fleeting thought of how Weiss could be in trouble too popped up, encouraging the young leader to get done with this quicker, kicking herself for not being a well rounded fighter as Crescent Rose wasn't always going to be in her possession.

As she was making progress, the door to the store slammed open, giving the leader a breath of relief as she saw Weiss unharmed. With a couple of red vials in her hands and black debris coating her, she was fine. "Ruby, get over here," she beckoned, a small pleading tone in her voice. The young leader didn't hesitate, almost about to full sprint over to her girlfriend until she felt herself being pulled back. A man with an arm in each of their grasps used their full force and leaped off the building with Ruby. Behind her scream was Weiss' even louder cry, piercing through the cursing and struggle of The White Fang.

Ruby was thrown into the back of a vehicle, body hurting as her bones were connecting with the metal floors and seats. A man got on top of her, pinning her arms to her sides, the leader pulling in her legs demanding her opponent to release her with powerful kicks to the chest. A lucky shot got her from underneath him. Now, with even less room to fight, was forcing her to fight without her only advantage. With one down, the other took her head on, restraining Ruby up against the wall, his forearm digging harshly into her collarbone. With her arms too short to reach his neck, he was able to zip-tie her to a steel handle.

The back of the shuttle opened, Ruby seeing the city streets blazing past her. She watched as one of the men tossed out an ammo crate out and noticed a white glyph in the distance. She didn't know what Weiss was up to, but braced herself for an attack. The APC bounced as the explosion rocked the area, but the lack of crashing had Ruby thinking Weiss' plan failed. She tugged and started chewing on the industrial plastic, wondering how truly strong the seemingly flimsy tool is.

With one less limb, the three men descended upon her, properly subduing her with her hands behind her back and a black bag over her head. One even threatened a sock gag for her mouth if she couldn't stop swearing. Not really wanting a dirty sock taste in her mouth, she silenced herself. With destination unknown, and the intentions of The White Fang were frightening in their own right, but her heart was hurting with what happened to Weiss. She didn't know if there were more militia behind to take care of her or even if Weiss was the target and the store was a convenient front to unleash their plans. Used to placing others needs before hers, all Ruby could think about was Weiss, dreading the heiress' safety.

The ride wasn't long, Ruby predicting they were still somewhere in Vale, but with a bag over her head it was hard to tell where she was. The loud thud of the ramp signaling they were safe, the sound of metal scraping against concrete unsettling. She was picked up harshly from the arms, Ruby making it difficult on her subduers and being dead, wiggling weight all the way to some room. She was forced to sit in a chair, again cuffed her to the table to ensure her captivity. As the metal door slammed behind her, she did feel the gravity of her situation set in, her breathing shortening as the uncertainty of it all was disheartening.

"_Calm down, Ruby. You're in a snag, but you can honestly say you've been in worse situations. Just breath and figure out your surroundings._" She queued her aura, heightening her senses. Although underneath the black bag was darkness, the room was becoming less hazy. A few tin shelves lined the room, the table barely big enough for two, and what could be a multitude of bottles. She reached back and picked up one of the containers, hoping it was dust only to disappoint herself at where she realized she must be. "_I'm in the supply closet, aren't I?_" she depressingly let out as she pulled the trigger on the spray. "_I know The White Fang isn't legitimate and can't shop around for evil headquarters, but really, I'm handcuffed to a bolted table in the broom closet?_"

"Sit down, child. I'm sure your attention span is greater than that of a rat," a voice came from behind her. In Ruby's curiosity, she hadn't heard the door open behind her, the hairs on her neck raising as the surprise wore off and she was able to connect the voice to a face. She instinctively went into a defensive stance, the metal shackles forcing her to the table.

"Ow... I mean. Roman," she said sinisterly, trying to save face in front of the enemy.

The black burlap was yanked off her head, pupils focus as the room was brighter than she anticipated, a florescent lamp flooding the room, Roman Torchwick standing opposite her. "I said sit. We're civilized. No need to be so hostile when clearly we're not in combat. Speaking of civilized, I do believed we've never been formally introduced. Roman," he said, a sly smile with devious green eyes accompanied an outstretched hand.

Ruby didn't want to give the man the smallest of gratitude by shaking his hand, choosing to sit and stare back. "Fine, I see you're not one for formality, Miss Rose." A chill ran through her as her name passed through his lips, Ruby shaken that the enemy might know even more about her.

The orange-haired man sat across from her, flipping through some files on a scroll. Ruby reluctant to believe anything the snake passed through his forked tongue. With him humming through his device like it was an ordinary day at the office, or evil headquarters rather, the leader took her seat, her only real option with her hand in a bind. As she sat in the uncomfortable silence, she looked around the room, almost painfully hating that she was in the supply closet, bottles of glass cleaner and soap dotting the shelves along with other miscellaneous tools like the floor scrubber. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I do believe this is my operation. I think I'm allowed to do what I please, but that's not what you were asking. You are a very high profile hostage, Miss Rose. You definitely have been a thorn in my side when it comes to dust acquisition in the past. However, as minor a nuisance you were, now you have become rather valuable." Ruby raised her eyebrow, not knowing where this sociopath was coming from nor liking the arrogance in his tone. "I can see you're confused. Maybe this will make the picture more clear.

Roman placed his scroll in front of Ruby, sliding his finger across the screen to show the multitude of pictures of her and Weiss on the rooftop of the dust store. The leader's brow furrowing as fierce as her girlfriend's as each picture felt like a small violation of their privacy. "So, like taking pictures of underage girls, I see? Pretty sure you go to jail for that."

"Still got the mouth on you when you're in such a predicament. And please, on the list of things I can go to jail for, taking unsolicited pictures would be bottom rung. These pictures though were taken because you girls coincidentally were at the very store we were going to rob. The Schnee Dust Company has certainly vamped their security, forcing us to plan our heists better. But, in the meantime, small time stores for a quick cache of ammo is always up for grabs," Roman calmly explained.

"Then why even bother capturing me? Politely knocking me out and leaving me would have made my day go better," Ruby scolded.

"Yes, probably, but I wouldn't have made any money." Roman bringing back his scroll, specifically locating a very intimate photo of Weiss caressing Ruby's hand. The leader let out a small tint as she saw something so warm caught on camera. "Miss Schnee is obviously worth triple her weight in Lien to someone, and judging from your flirting actions, you mean a lot to her. Hopefully more than what we were going to get from that store, anyways."

Ruby already figuring out their plan put her at ease. She was going to ransomed and therefore safe for the time being. Each second passing hoping Roman would leave the room, allowing her to concentrate more on escaping. "So I'm assuming you were after Weiss then?"

"But of course. I can hardly imagine how much her parents would pay back for her safety. But we ended up with you. I'm not going to complain, but it is a shame getting silver when gold was within reach. Who would've thought funding an uprising would be so costly?" Roman writing in his scroll, updating any relevant information he gathered into it. Ruby was mulling over her thoughts, wondering if Weiss has had to deal with men like this her whole life, the leader seeing a new side to Weiss disliking her namesake. "So, how much is this girl in love with you?"

The question alone caught Ruby off guard, the added level of her inexperience in romance had her tongue in quite a twist. "I-I don't know. She's ve-very difficult to read. I mean she set up the date, ma-makes me happy, but I always feel that..."

Roman raised his hand, forcing the girl to stop. "I'm not your therapist. A simple gauging of one to ten would have sufficed. You're clearly crazy about her. The reason I ask is because I need to see how much we should ask for the ransom. Let's just put it in the middle, about five million Lien."

Ruby silently objected the quote, thinking her love with Weiss is priceless, but it seemed Roman was going to have to write something on the ransom. She averted her gaze to the silver table, disheartened that she knew so little about what's going on in her partner's mind, cursing her lack of social skills that made her so meek in the first place. "Sure.. five million is fine."

Roman made his way towards the door, tipping his hat as he departed. "Sit tight and relax, Miss Rose. We are a poor militia, but we aren't savages. So long as we get paid, of course." A toothy grin came after the subtle threat, making Ruby dislike the pretentious man even more. As the door shut behind him, Ruby mashed her head into the table, collecting herself to make her great escape. The only thing holding her back was her cuffs, sliding them off with something slick was better than gnawing her hand off.

Ruby found her answer, but it was on the other side of the room, forcing her get creative with the acquisition of the hand sanitizer. Duct tape, the greatest of all tools, was within her reach. A broom, a lint brush, a squeegee, a vacuum hose, and a rag-filled rubber glove were all jerry-rigged together to make the least technologically advanced apparatus Ruby has ever made, but will be as proud as her weapon if she was able to get what she needed. The length made the rod unstable, Ruby blowing through all of the roll and it still being rickety. She inched slowly, nudging the bottle closer to the edge. To save herself some time of shortening the rod if she had to scrap it off the floor, Ruby carefully flicked the small container into her glove.

Her escape became more real as she globbed the entire tub of the clear goo onto her hand. Ruby strugged for a few minutes, wondering if Weiss had made her gain weight and unable to wiggle out of these situations. Contorting her hand into as small a stump as possible, Ruby did one last pull, freeing her from the table, slamming into the shelf behind her. With the loud clang not alerting a guard's presence, Ruby rid herself of the strong smelling liquid. She inspected her hand, wrists red with some light bruising, the leader knowing if she didn't have a strong aura she would be bleeding from the amount of effort she put into freeing herself. Ruby tried the obvious choice and tested the door, her heart sinking knowing it couldn't be that easy. She conceded to her only option left, a dark, dirty and confined air vent.

Creating a makeshift tower of a few boxes and the chair, Ruby was tall enough to reach the screws. Her mood of being in the supply closet flipped when she was able to find a screwdriver to unlatch the vent's opening. She didn't procrastinate and went in head first to the foulness of the vent. Ruby was glad she was still small, wondering if Yang or Blake would be able to pull this off. She thought she was smaller, though, the vent being just big enough for her to put one arm in front of the other as she was shimmying her way to freedom.

Ruby felt like a rat in a maze, the vent's pathways forking off constantly. She kept her head cool and remembered an old trick to figuring these things out as a kid, keep to one direction. As she was turning left, making sure in her mind she wasn't making circles, the one thing that kept bringing her out of her thoughts was the slick grime and amount of dust that lines the walls, the young leader having to pause as occasionally a large dust particle got lodged in her sinuses. The last thing she wanted was to make The White Fang members be suspicious of her escape if the vents were having a sneezing spasm.

With her brain on autopilot looking for source of light to freedom, Ruby's mind wandered around her romantics issues, considering the whole escape thing was going pretty well. "_I can't believe Roman was able to trip me up that badly. I can barely admit that I love Weiss in my own head. Seems I still have a long way to go before I can actually say it out loud to her. Maybe it's too soon to say. Last thing I want to do is scare Weiss away because I'm overly invested in us. But it's real... I know it's real. It's so real that it's becoming harder be stay so passive. That day in our room... that kiss. I wanted to continue so bad, but who am I kidding. I'd be fumbling with whatever comes next. Just cool your jets, Ruby. Weiss will come around. Hopefully sooner rather than...whoa._"

A weak paneling gave way to the girl as her full body weight was on in. The darkness lit up as she plunged towards the ground. Too fast for her to react, her knees and forearms were the epicenters of pain, the resounding shocks through her body hitting every nerve as the tremors of agony were running their course. She brought her head up, the aching residing enough for her to move again. She wished she was back in the supply closet as five militia members stood around her, probably as dazed and confused as her.

Ruby snapped upright and dusted herself off, playing it as nonchalantly as possible. "You guys sure should look into installing new vents with all that ransom money." A nervous laugh coming out as she saw that none of the men were biting.

"Nice sell, but I think we would need to allocate those funds to a proper holding cell," one of the men shot back, pistols and assault rifles being drawn, Ruby backing up as she was seeing her window of opportunity shrink. She knew she could take these guys on, but not with her fists, eyes scanning her surroundings for anything to be used as a weapon. Judging from the long tables and vending machines, she was in the break room. The only thing she could possible help her was a plastic knife, which she ignored now favoring she burst for the exit that the men stood between.

Ruby's back hit a wall, her decision time now over. Even though Roman promised her safety, she didn't know if these guys got the memo, and with these close quarters, they'd have to be amateurs to not hit her. She raised her hands up, hopefully lessening the punishment of having her chained to a wall.

An explosion cracked through the building, startling Ruby and the militia. It seemed random blasts weren't part of the occupational routine. The alarms sounded off and a female voice was heard over the intercom. "All soldiers report to Hanger Bay B. Intruders on the first level. Targets identified as a woman and a male Faunus."

Ruby didn't hesitate and grabbed at one of the retractable batons on a soldier's leg. It may not have been Crescent Rose, but it was doing its job shutting down her opposition. Her quickness accelerating the blows had all the men on the ground as Ruby was hasting back and forth. With all the men too beaten to get up and fight back, the young leader took her leave. "Whatever decided to show up couldn't have better timing. Now to get out of here. If I was an exit, I would be this way."

Ruby now ecstatic as she was now about to escape, planning her next steps in figuring out if Weiss is alright. She sprinted through the corridors only ending up in where every solider in the building seemed to be, Hanger Bay B. She kept as low as possible, using the shadows and distraction to her advantage as she was ducking behind crates and vehicles.

The bay door was wide open, a quick release from her semblance and she would be home free. She peaked around the corners, making sure someone wasn't about to blast her off her feet and blitzed out. A white figure stepped in her pathway, Ruby stopping in her tracks as she saw the intrusion. White ponytail flowing in the wind, combat skirt blackened and frayed from dust, steely blue eyes meeting hers, and the scowl she's grown to love dismantled her at her presence. "Weiss, you came for me?" Ruby astonished by her rescuer's sudden entrance.

"Of course I would, you dolt." Weiss rushing over giving Ruby a quick, but firm hug. Ruby had her hands filled as the familiar weight of her weapon was placed. "No time to explain. That idiot Faunus rushed in wanting me to find you. Mission accomplished, but now we got to go save him from the nest he enraged."

Ruby didn't have a clue what Faunus Weiss was referring to, but feeling so helpless for the past few hours changed as soon as Crescent Rose unfolded into its scythe. The sight of the one-Faunus battle was something to be appreciate, Sun's nunchaku chain-linked shotguns firing at a rapid pace, making the minions second guess their actions, precious seconds that cost them their small openings to land a hit on him. Ruby wanted to jump in the fray as it seemed Sun was having so much fun, but she zeroed in on a higher priority target.

Roman was standing atop a service building, watching the carnage, eyes calculating when to strike. Ruby was determined to interrupt that thought and charged, the man in the bowler hat taking notice. A few cannon shots were fired from his cane, the young leader dodging them with ease. With a large leap she poised her weapon to strike, forcing Roman to move, the depth of the blow almost cutting clear the roof of the building.

"So, this is how you repay me after some kind hospitality? Little Red, you have no gratitude," he quipped, Roman now thoroughly sore as the fire in his eyes was present. He came in for the attack, Ruby having to catch up with his speed as he was furiously hitting back, the grace of his usual stance becoming undone with frustration. Ruby concentrated and was matching his form in seconds, now looking for her own opening for a counter.

Ruby slammed Crescent Rose into the ground, whipping herself around to swiftly kick Roman onto the ground floor. She had her high ground, transforming Crescent Rose into her sniper, ready to take aim and fire. The man was quicker to the draw, though, firing two shots from his cane to the supports of the building, Ruby tripping as she was jumping to safety. Roman quickly struck her as she was recovering, the back of her leg throbbing, the leader now limping from the pain. With her speed reduced, Ruby felt the pressure from Roman, her lack of maneuverability making the fight more one-sided as she kept backing up from Roman who was closing the gap.

"You should have told me your heiress was in love with you enough to actually pull a stunt like this," Roman said through clenched teeth. Ruby was slightly charmed at the realization, but too focused on what was happening to realize how far Weiss was willing to go for her. She swung Crescent Rose at Roman, him dodging, but she wanted him to do that. She fired her sniper, landing against the wall behind her, poising herself for the next strike. Using the momentum from Crescent Rose's recoil, she propelled herself as the bullet, Roman blocking, but the force behind Ruby's momentum knocked him off his feet. Ruby having the upper hand swung wildly, hoping to pin the weasel. All she was able was get in a few slashes, his white trench coat shredded by the time he was able to get back up to his feet.

Roman went from irritated to furious, Ruby guessing he doesn't like having his cage rattled or his pompous outfit ruined. He fired two shots at Ruby's feet, the girl blocking being her greatest mistake. As the smoke cleared, Roman was within arms reach, he flipped his cane and hooked Ruby by the neck, yanking her towards his folded hand. The pinpoint accuracy of his throat strike hit the young leader in the larynx, making her cry in pain, a reflexive deflated squeak escaping her throat. With the damaged tissue convulsing in agony, Ruby was finding her lungs heaving desperately wanting oxygen that wasn't able to inhale. Her knees got weak, the girl lowering herself to the concrete, body unable to carry her or her weapon. She dropped Crescent Rose, her hands desperately grabbing at her throat as she strugged to breath.

Ruby felt a hot tip aimed at her face, her will being forcefully raised to meet her opponent who bested her. Roman stood, a smug demeanor across his mug a small distance away. "Considering the attention brought by your girlfriend will bring the police over and nix this base, I might as well take something from her. A girl for a warehouse sounds like equivalent exchange to me."

Ruby had stared down a pack of Beowolves, fought a hundred White Fang members, and even endured one of Weiss' tongue lashings when Ruby accidentally left a red stocking in the wash, coloring all of her partner's whites pink. She has danced with death and won a lot of the time, but, as she looked down the barrel of Roman's cane, she saw death stare back and it drained her. She felt dead before Roman pulled the trigger, time slowing down as she heard the cocking of the hammer. Ruby wanted to call out for help, for anyone, for Sun, for Weiss. Ruby closed her eyes, anticipating her demise.

Under her legs, she felt the ground cool, a brightness piercing through her lids as she heard the blast muffled through ice. "This is why I call you childish."

Ruby's eyes burst open, that condescending high pitch of her being scolded could only come from one person. As her eyes focused, Weiss' white skirt was in front of her, from her perspective the red lining under her skirt, the snowflake symbol on her jacket blackened from combat, and her ponytail ticking the end of Ruby's nose. "Weiss..." was almost silent as she breathed it out.

"I turn my back for five seconds and you already ran off without me. You're not allowed to leave my side Ruby... not ever," Weiss declared. She jumped over her ice wall, Myrtenaster glowing yellow, the heiress not holding back as Roman was parrying. Channeling another glyph, she changed her setting to blue, launching Roman into the air, Weiss giving chase hoping the new gravity setting would give her the opening she wanted.

Roman was struck alongside the back, the pain realigning him and swatting back at the heiress as he could. Ruby sat in awe of the fight. As much as she hated Roman, he was adaptable, herself not knowing if she could be on the same level with him at times. Then there was Weiss, her white knight in a battle skirt. She knew the heiress had to protect her, being partners for almost a half a year taught her that. But it was what Weiss said that made her see her girlfriend in a different light, understanding now what she meant when she said she wanted to earn the necklace. How important it was for Weiss to comes to terms with how strongly she felt towards Ruby, not just how strongly the younger girl felt towards her. She was never allowed to leave her side, not that Ruby ever wanted to stray.

In her daze of adoration, she hadn't realize Roman's cane pointed at her again. Weiss deflecting the cane away from her girlfriend, but onto something just as precious. A gas main was hit, blowing out the side of the building with a heat infusing detonation. The aftershocks of the battered building now concerning Ruby as the structure was rocking back and forth. Ruby looked back to Roman, backhanding Weiss and making his escape with a helicopter waiting above him. He climbed the rope ladder and was off into the night.

Weiss rushed to Ruby's side after the villain was able to get away, escaping now superseding their priority. The heiress lifted her to her feet, eyes full of concern and fear. "No time for you lollygagging about. We need to get out of here, now!"

Ruby, still finding it hard to speak, nodded quickly, the monkey Faunus coming up from the rear. "You two, follow me and we're going to avoid a lot less handle once we're safe." Weiss followed Sun with Ruby in tow, the leader finding it peculiar that her girlfriend of all people was trusting of this Faunus. However, with the building collapsing around them and sirens in the distance, the fact that the heiress was more trusting of the race was comforting.

Ruby pushed herself to keep up, her throat still recovering from Roman's hit. They weaved throughout the industrial buildings, Sun showcasing his parkouring abilities as he reached rooftops with ease, the leader almost thinking this is some sort of thrill he gets running away from the law. At the edge of the industrial district, they stopped. The team looked towards the distance, read and blue lights dancing around the warehouse. "Woohoo! That was something!"

Weiss took offense immediately, getting in Sun's face as much as she could, the sledder finger that Ruby was so used pointed at her now directed at the Faunus. "You! If we didn't get Ruby out, I would strangle you where you stand. I told you a simple extraction was all that was needed."

"Yeah, but the way I see it, it was going to end up that way. Might as well cut out that whole chunk of time and get your girlfriend back quicker," Sun defended, Ruby noticing Weiss' tint on her cheeks, the heiress stalling from the circumstantial logic.

"You may... you may have a point, but that doesn't give you the right to go against the wishes of your employer," Weiss snapped back, the leader picking up on the few words that felt out of place. Weiss paid Sun to help her. Ruby felt that whatever the heiress was paying was far too much, even if she was her girlfriend.

"But I also helped shut down a White Fang base, meaning The Schnee Dust Company will be less likely to be under attack. If anything, I deserve an employee, or rather, a mercenary of the month award," Sun chided back, his teasing in good nature as he was riding high from the victory. Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose, accepting the Faunus' argument, herself finding it hard to be excited when it was Ruby's life at stake.

"Fine. You win. Ruby and I are going home. Come by Beacon tomorrow at two. You meet me at the fountain and do not make me wait. I do have the authority to deduct anything from your pay," Weiss ordered, Sun unphased by the threat.

"Yes ma'am," he bowed, mocking the high society as he descended from the building, the long golden tail whipping in the night. Weiss placed her arm around Ruby, the two shuffling casually back to Beacon. With the adrenaline of a good fight wearing off, Ruby was starting to feel the strain she endured. She noticed Weiss with her own battle damage, a few minor cuts and bruises that her aura would fix overnight, but could tell they were throbbing now. Even if it wasn't much, Ruby placed her arm around the heiress' small waist.

Ruby knew this wasn't the most romantic of setting, but she found herself slightly enraptured with the moment. Both of them propping each other up, a shoulder to lean on, and both of them looking as if they just came out of a war zone had its own appeal to the leader. However, with the silence that came with the occasion, also brought Ruby to address her neurosis.

"So... you're paying Sun for me?"

"Of course. I have the Lien and you get paid for services. Judging from how today went, if I do it by myself it ends in disaster. Money is all I am." The last sentence Weiss said under her breath, the self- loathing tone Ruby picked up on. A new pain now ailing her as she was feeling guilt in her heart. She looked up towards the heiress, the lack of spirit in the icy orbs making Ruby feel worse. She remembered back to what Weiss said, that she will always be wealthy. That realization spurring Ruby to be more assertive.

"You're wrong. I'm not saying that money doesn't define you, but it is a part of you because you're a Schnee. Never think it's entirely you, though. Money didn't save me from Roman, money didn't come back for me at initiation, and money sure doesn't stand by me as my best teammate. Regardless of how you feel about it, it shaped you into who you are now, and I really like who you are, Weiss."

Weiss stopped, turning to face Ruby, confused about what the young leader was saying. "But you said that you're intimidated by all of this."

"I am, but I'm also intimidated by Grimm. I still am a huntress and I still want to be with you. Even when it gets uncomfortable at times, I'll manage. You have really good judgment, Weiss. However you act as a girlfriend, I'll trust because I..." Ruby's speech being cut short as the passionate confession tweaked her throat muscle. A small whimper slipping out as Ruby faltered. Weiss propped her up, preventing Ruby from collapsing to the ground.

"Ruby! You need to take it easy. I can tell by the way you've been carrying yourself that he hit you fairly hard. You need me to take you to the hospital, perhaps a quick stop to a drug store to get some anti-inflammatories?" Weiss offered. Ruby wanted to finish her sentiments, the young leader wanting to express herself, buttoning her affection with the hopes of relieving the heiress of her burden. In that moment, as the heiress was affectionately attending to her, Ruby found that she ought to leave it be, her mouth usually the culprit in ruining moments.

She shook her head, promising her girlfriend to rest her voice. Ruby's gaze averted to the bare area of Weiss' collar, the leader almost forgetting to reward her hero. She quickly unclasped her snowflake necklace, draping it over Weiss. A chaste kiss placed on the cheek as she backed away, the heiress in disbelief in what occurred with her jaw half slacked. Before Weiss could protest, Ruby placed her finger over her mouth, a playful wink following was enough to quell the ice princess. Weiss deeply smiled and reached out, pulling Ruby in for an unyielding hug.

After the transfer of unspoken feelings was over, the two still had plenty to cover before they reached Beacon, Ruby hating the fact Vale shuts down after two. There was a silver lining that she was taking full advantage of. In the pale moonlight, she curled up with Weiss, the two occasionally squeezing the other as their attempts at flirting. Weiss gave a kiss through her short locks, Ruby hoping the light wasn't illuminating the free blush rushing to her face.

A sharp pain formed on the back of her neck. Ruby, remembering not to make a sound, silently mouthed her frustration. "Your hair smells like vanilla. You have your own shampoo, Ruby. Why do I notice you use mine more so?"

Weiss did like honesty, but Ruby was super embarrassed admitting this truth. As soft as she could speak, she confided, "I like wearing something that reminds me of you."

Ruby didn't need to look up, knowing her words were having an effect as Weiss' body was heating up. "It makes me feel stupid when you come up with such thoughtful ideas. Maybe I should find something to wear too." Weiss delicately held the necklace in her fingers, Ruby not directly staring as the heiress was fondly appreciating her prize. The leader's young heart filled with warmth, the satisfaction of making Weiss happy the perfect end to her day. "I can't accept this, Ruby."

The short-haired girl was about to scream. After all they had been through, Weiss not only deserved a necklace, but also earrings and a dress to compliment them. "Before you scream at me and we're forced to take you to the hospital, there's a small scuff mark on it." Ruby breathing a sigh of relief, although was feeling responsible for the tarnished jewelry. "If it's alright with you, I'll give it to Sun tomorrow and have him do one last errand for me as he goes to the bank."

Ruby had no problem with the proposition, only wishing she could pay for the repair, but wasn't exactly in the best of circumstances to argue. She didn't let it get to her though, not with Weiss and her enjoying a night out. It may have been the most unconventional date that could possibly be conceived, but this was the first time the heiress had been this loving since they got together. She didn't think her happiness could be deflated until they got back to the dorm, Yang freaking out at the condition of the both of them. Weiss' quick thinking masked what really happened. Ruby didn't know if the excuse of a lover's quarrel was easy enough to fool Yang, the leader questioning if that's how the rest of the school saw their relationship, but would overlook other's perceptions so long as Weiss was able to evade the wrath of her big sister.

* * *

><p>Ruby's recovery went swimmingly. Still finding it hard to swallow though was keeping her from using her vocal chords as much as possible. She didn't think life as a semi-mute was hard, but communicating with a scroll at times was difficult. Having the cafeteria chefs wait for her to spell out the group meal took a rather long time, frustrating for whoever was behind her waiting. This morning, Yang was taking out Blake to someplace special, assuming there was some fishy brunch that could cater to the Faunus' unique palate. With just Weiss in the room, Ruby was able to speed through the line.<p>

As Ruby entered the dorm, Weiss was standing next to her bed, fiddling with what she thought was the necklace she gave her. As she stepped closer, she noticed red design in the middle instead of her snowflake, a little red rose. "Weiss, is that my..."

"Emblem," she finished her sentence. "It is. I was thinking back to what you said and decided why not wear a little reminder of you around my neck. So once I had my idea, I gave Sun another check to take to my jeweler. He was happy to do it once he saw what I was paying him. He delivered it while you were gone. That crazy fool actually leaped up to the window."

Anyone else would have been dejected from a gift replacement, but all Ruby saw was Weiss wanting to showcase to the world to whom her heart belongs. She placed the tray on her desk and walked towards her girlfriend, her mind splitting on trying to resist not tackling Weiss to the bed with the amount of euphoria coursing through her. With her mind snapping, all her face could to was make a grin so big that it had her partner perturbed.

"Ruby... what's with that face?" the heiress' eyebrow raising, bewildered at the overzealous expression on her partner. "If you're going to make a big deal out of this, I'm going to take it off."

Ruby was calling her bluff. Weiss wouldn't have went through with the idea if she wasn't feeling the same way. Taking a leap of faith, she pressed her lips onto Weiss', the blue eyes popping at the sudden smooch. The heiress pulled away, attesting to the affection. "What's with..." Ruby interrupted the coming rant with another kiss. Weiss wouldn't be silenced. "Stop it..." the leader cutting off her girlfriend again. The heiress tore herself away from the passionate act again. "Ruby, I'm warn..." a soft moan escaping Weiss as Ruby pressed into her again.

Ruby closed the gap, hands cupping Weiss' face as the heiress still had residual resistance in her. She didn't know if her actions were making her girlfriend weak in the knees or if she was still trying to wiggle out from Ruby's advancement, but Weiss was forced to the bed, elbows propping her up as she climbed on top of her. As Ruby was getting lost in session, she was forcefully pushed away from her lover's lips. The leader was alarmed, not knowing if her antics were crossing a line. Weiss' chest was heaving, collar slick with sweat, and blue eyes propping up a fierce scowl.

Ruby thought she was in trouble until her girlfriend spoke. "This is the only time you're going to get away with this. You got that?"

Ruby smirked at her girlfriend's condition, feeling a sense of accomplishment that she's figuring out this whole relationship deal. "Yeah, sure. I was scared you would..."

"Just shut up and kiss me," Weiss demanded, yanking on the ruff of Ruby's cloak, mashing their lips together awkwardly. The leader matched her girlfriend's intensity, kissing with such passion that taking heavy breaths through her nose was almost not enough. Ruby wrapped her hands around Weiss' face, locking her in place as the heiress' arms snaked around her back, binding the two as their bodies meshed. Before long, she felt the moist touch of her lover's tip, feeling the desire that had been dammed up flooding from Weiss. The heiress parted her mouth, allowing Ruby's tongue to slip past, tentatively dancing with the sensitive nerve endings. The genuine, pleasurable reaction from Weiss' body to her actions made Ruby feel that, for once, everything was coming natural to her.

Especially the embarrassment that came after.

A slow clapping came from the entrance. Ruby froze as she turned and saw the blonde terror stood at the doorway, a diabolical smile stretching across her face as she soaked up the enjoyment she was having caught the couple canoodling. The leader jumped off her girlfriend, the heiress following as she was nervously straightening out her skirt. Ruby's eyes could barely meet her sister's, the shame of being caught too great, nervous sweat forming, her face as red as the eyes of a Grimm as she spoke to Yang.

"Y-yang, why-why are you ba-back?"

"I forgot my wallet. Pretty easy to be absent-minded when infatuated with something, or rather, someone, isn't it, Little Sis?" Yang briskly walked to her bed, collecting her Lien. Expecting to head out the door, she first came by the list of room rules, grabbing a marker off her desk to scribble on. She capped it and left the couple with the following thought. "One of many amendments I hope to make to the list to make it fair for all of us in the room. You play safe you two. I'll send a text when Blake and I will be returning."

As the door shut, Ruby felt she could breath again, letting the tension leave her body with a deep sigh. Curious as to what Yang wrote, Weiss and her inspected the rules. Just below rule number one, 'As long as Ruby and Weiss are in the room the bed is for sleeping only', was scribbled 'Blake and Yang too'. Towards the bottom, there were two new rules, 'Number twenty-one, treat my sister well, Weiss', and 'Number twenty-two, good on you, Little Sis'. Ruby felt like her relationship was official with the graffiti on the paper.

The heiress tore off the rules, "The markings alone would make me want to replace this, but I think your sister may be right. It might be time to modify it to make it more current." Weiss pulled out the snowflake necklace she had in her jacket pocket, placing it around Ruby. "Wouldn't you agree, girlfriend?"

Ruby's heart was rushing as Weiss formally addressed her, wondering if this was love. This incredible euphoria that was enveloping her as gray eyes met the heiress' blue. "Yeah. Let's get started." Ruby and Weiss took to the bed, working out a new list that would please everyone. The leader was slightly distracted though, not knowing what to make of this new awareness she was having about the heiress, but the novelty intriguing to Ruby.

"_Weiss... I don't know how to express or even articulate how I feel towards you right now and I can't wait to figure it out._"


	10. Yang: A Friendship Caught on Fire

More than moderately priced dinners were had. Came back from Comic-Con not even a week ago. It was a magical experience, all 4 days just the best days I've had in awhile. If you all can get badges and cover the price tag, I do urge you to go, even if you're flying solo. Anyways back to the story, holy balls we're back to the ship that started it all, Bumblebee. Hope you enjoy their story after the long hiatus of White Rose. I will balance it out better in the future as I fixed the time line of chapter release so we get equal servicing. Thanks for all the fav/follows and reviews. You guys have been awfully lovely with your praise and maybe we can get to 250 followers, (10G - Personal Achievement). Hit those buttons, leave a review and check out Bakki on deviantart, who has a great Bumblebee piece in the works. And Yay, Volume 2 is here!

Yang: A Friendship Caught on Fire

The sun filtered in from the crack in the drapes, the unwelcoming rays glistering on the brawler's eyes, waking her up from a peaceful slumber. Her eyes fluttered open and gave out a small yawn as she was fighting so hard to go back to sleep. She inspected what she could see of the bedroom because her head was buried in the black mane of her partner. "_No Ruby, no Weiss, and seven-thirty!? I'm getting new drapes. I'm tired of waking up this early on a weekend._"

Yang felt a small groan come from her chest. She peered down to see Blake readjusting herself in her sleep. A wide grin stretched across her face as she saw the Faunus, who was sporting her own small smile in her restful state. "_You sort of love cuddling in there, don't cha, Blake? I'm almost scared one day that there will be an imprint of your face on my breasts._" She let her mind quiet as she was remembering last nights events. The couple came in from a midnight stroll around the academy, enjoying the crisp air after a long week of training with live Grimm. After they came in, Ruby and Weiss weren't in the room as agreed on by the new rules Weiss set up. Ever since Ruby heard them that night, Blake and Yang would need to alert how long they would need the room for more private matters. The couple weren't big fans of letting their team know when they'd be having sex, but they would find out anyways from the smell, the noise, and the look of the two afterward. For Ruby's sake, it was a logical choice.

As the two made it back in the room, it was a race as to who could rip each others clothes off first. Blake had a clear advantage with Yang having far less accessories than her. Before the armbands of the Faunus were barely off, Blake had already removed Yang's top and was focusing her hands and mouth over the pearl peaks. With generous bolts of ecstasy coursing through her with each flick from the Faunus' tongue, Yang found it impossible to carry on her task. She submitted and Blake pushed her into orgasm after orgasm that night. Yang is a lady of sexual integrity and gave back as much as she received, not that she needed some code to pleasure the Faunus. Yang loved everything about Blake's body. Her perfect round breasts that were the right amount of softness and fit like they were made for Yang's larger hands. Her eyes that were angled for a more feline expression with the dynamite irises that seemingly glow in the moonlight. Her long legs, heavily toned like the rest of her, yet soft whenever she would straddle the blonde.

Yang could go over every part of Blake and find no imperfection, but there was one that always was in the forefront, her cat ears. Since being in a relationship with her, the brawler has had more time to think about why she liked them, besides how cute they were. If she wasn't a Faunus, she may never have met her girlfriend. She would have never joined The White Fang and learned that change can come about from more peaceful means. If she had a tail or some other animal attribute, she would have never been able to conceal her race as easy, perhaps making it harder for her to join Beacon if she were too open to discrimination like Velvet. Blake's ears mean the world to Yang.

As if the feline appendages could tell she was thinking about them, one of them started fluttering against Yang's sensitive skin. The blonde had to stifle the initial laughs, but it seems it was enough to stir the Faunus awake. Yang found Blake sleeping to be one of the most beautiful scenes in the world. The usual hard exterior she puts up almost seems like a facade as she slumbers. The loving way she cuddles against Yang, the peaceful face and relaxed breathing of her chest is something she looks forward to the rare times she wakes up before her partner.

The Faunus tightened her grip around the naked blonde, Yang holding back a smirk as she knew Blake still thought she was asleep, taking advantage by burying her face into her bosom. Yang couldn't resist catching the Faunus red handed. "Taking advantage of a lady while she's sleeping. So underhanded there, Blake," she teasingly said in her ear.

Yang felt the Faunus get startled, widening her toothy grin. Blake kept her eyes closed, too embarrassed to acknowledge her lewd act. "Shut up. You're not supposed to be awake," Blake murmured into Yang's breasts, the soft lips titillating the delicate skin. The blonde didn't think twice about it. She gripped her arms around Blake's head and gave a lazy kiss between her ears. The two sat there, although tired, were now too alert to go back to sleep, but they still had the room for a little longer. Leisurely lying in bed, enjoying the nude splendor of each others bodies wouldn't be the worst way to kill time.

"Your snoring has gotten better," Blake softly said. "It didn't wake me up last night."

"I told you if you position me towards you, it isn't that bad," Yang responded.

"I feel awful. We have to constantly be kicking out Ruby and Weiss out so we can do this."

"Me too. I doubt Ruby likes sleeping on the floor in team JNPR's room, but this is our only option. It's not like we won't give the same privileges to them when... they start..." Yang couldn't let herself finish the sentence. Blake cupped the face of her girlfriend, amber eyes understanding the blonde's plight.

"I'll be there when it happens. I'll be sure to take your mind off of things," Blake reassured. Yang flirted back, placing a finger at her collar and following it down her cleavage.

"Do explain, in detail, how you would do that?" the blonde seductively said.

Blake tinted red and rolled her eyes to the usual bold flirt, but did something that Yang didn't want to hear. "You misread that completely. I'm still a little tired from last night. Mind if we keep it to cuddling?"

The brawler laughed, loving the idea that she orgasmed her girlfriend to the point of exhaustion, but was hoping for some morning fun. However, if she was honest with herself, she didn't know how much her performance would suffer with her own fatigue "Fine. I'll let it pass this time."

"Thanks. I love you, Yang.

"I love you too, Blake." Yang was about to go in for a kiss until the Faunus rolled out of bed, the blonde missing the touch immediately, and also the red blanket, as Blake covered herself up with it as she gazed out the window. Yang wasn't modest, definitely not around her lover, and left her top on display as the white sheets were temptingly arranged below. Blake opened the blinds and the sun flooded the room. The golden star highlighted the Faunus' outline, angelic in nature, one in particular was the white hairs in her cat ears.

The ever curious nature of the blonde kicked in. "Blake, I can't believe I never asked you this, but what's it like when I touch your ears?"

Blake concentrated on the question, searching for the right words to answer her. "It feels really good. It umm... the only way I can describe it is like a deep massage, but you don't use any force. You use the lightest of scratches and it relaxes me."

Yang was intrigued by the answer. Before Blake took the reins, Ruby used to give the brawler massages if she really needed it. The Faunus happily does it now as she can do it while reading. Yang doesn't get to reciprocate often though because of the bow. It's only times like these is she able to see Blake for all that she is. As Yang thought about it more, she can count how many times she has touched her girlfriend's ears with her hand. As an opportunist, Yang got up out of the covers and listlessly placed herself behind Blake.

Before the Faunus could inquire what was happening, Yang placed a couple fingers at the back of an ear and gently started scratching. Instinctively, Blake's ears folded down and head leaned into the touch. The Faunus let out a long moan as Yang was fiddling with the ears. The blonde felt such control of her lover in such a non-dominating way. As her hand would move away, Blake would follow it, trusting that Yang wouldn't lead her to pain. Like a true experimenter, Yang tried different techniques. Seems no matter what she did, Blake was confident in the blonde's motives. When she stopped, Blake turned around, glowing from the intimate act.

The Faunus wrapped her blanket around the naked blonde, arms crossed behind her neck. Blake closed her eyes and leaned in. Yang didn't need more cues to mimic her lover and gave a lustful kiss. As the tongues were twining, the blonde could notice the layer of salty sweat that hung around the edges. The taste reminiscent of the adventure last night, Yang cursing herself as her libido was flaring, making it difficult for her not to explore farther down the Faunus' waist.

The blissful, relaxing scene came crashing down in seconds. In their silent session, in their own little world, it was hard to hear the dorm room door open, but not the scream that came after.

"Aaahhh! Oh my gosh!. Eww!"

Yang broke away, but smart enough to keep herself covered as she noticed the intruder was none other than their leader. "Ruby! I'm so..."

The blonde interrupted as she saw Ruby flash out of the room, leaving a small trail of rose petals in her wake. Yang's instinct was to give chase and quickly dove into her drawer for undies and her sleepwear. A hand was placed on her shoulder and the blonde looked back to see the Faunus sharing the same embarrassment received by her cheeks. Yang slowed down, put on her clothes and collapsed on the bed with her hands on her face. Blake soon followed with her robe on, placing her arm around the humiliated brawler.

"That... that was a thing."

"I'm sorry. This definitely doesn't look good on both our parts. We should have paid attention more to the time. It's a quarter past eight."

"Yeah, but I'm sure Ruby had a good look at my very bare butt," Yang letting out a deep sigh. "I'm going to have to go talk to her now. Certainly apologize. I didn't think time slipped by so quickly."

"Well, first things first. I know you and I smell of sex. I think a shower is in order. You mind if I go first?"

"No, take your time. I was actually going to take you out today. Surprise..." Yang, already deflated, eked out that unenthusiastic celebration.

"Oh. Something special at the sixth month mark I see." Blake was stunned by the answer and tried her best to lift her lover's spirits. "You want to join me? I'll wash your back."

"No... thanks for the offer. Not feeling exactly turned on at the moment," Yang said defeated. Blake took her cue, released the water, and was humming to the only Achieve Men song that Yang seemingly played everyday. While her girlfriend was in the shower, Yang sat on the bed, crushed that she could be so careless with her sister.

"_I am a dunce like Weiss says. I know I love Blake and we have our fun together, but Ruby is also getting there with her girlfriend. Sex is great, awesome with the right person, unbelievably amazing with someone you love. I don't know how far Ruby and Weiss are in their relationship, but I don't want this to discourage my little sister from experiencing something beautiful, even if every fiber of my body wants to throttle Weiss for deflowering Ruby. Take a deep breath, Yang. If it had to be someone, at least it's someone who's as into your sister as she is. If she screws up the first time, it'll probably be out of love. I'm sure she wants it to be as good as the hype. Hate to tell them the first time won't, though. Anyways, I need to set things straight with Ruby. I know I had to push her into making friends, but I won't be the reason for her be hesitant with something that is no doubt on her mind._"

Yang heard the shower stop and Blake shout from behind the door that the bath was free. Definitely a perk that came with being a couple is that two people were able to share the bathroom at a time, making time consumption in getting ready far less. Yang didn't waste effort in getting ready. She washed thoroughly to get rid of the smell of sex that lingered on her. Talking to Ruby was going to be tough enough. The last thing she needed was for Ruby to flashback to the room where a very naked Blake and Yang were passionately making out.

With a satisfied feeling she scrubbed off her stench, Yang proceeded to the mirrors where Blake was wrapped up in a towel, applying the last of her lotions. The blonde gave a cheeky slap to the Faunus' rump, which always was reciprocated twofold by her lover. Yang loved her hair, but she could do without the drying part when she was in a hurry. With no invitation, Blake took her own hairdryer and aided the blonde with the long locks. Yang snickered at the almost reflex behavior to aid her. About nine months together as partners and six months in a relationship seemed to be taking its effect. This was Blake's way of being fair to Yang who always offers the bathroom first. When the messy head of hair was mostly dry, the brawler took a brush to it to get rid of some of the kinks as Blake applied the last part of her lavender makeup.

When the two were finished, they got dressed in the usual attire and headed down to the mess hall in search for Ruby. As they were getting closer, all they could hear was the booming voice of Cardin. Blake squeezed her hand out of anger. Almost always was the usual teasing the rabbit Faunus gets and Yang's hand was a nice stress reliever for her not to expose herself. As they turned the corner, the sight before Yang couldn't have enraged her more.

"Stop it, you pigheaded oaf! Don't you understand the phrase 'no means no'? Or should I start screaming 'sexual harassment lawsuit' to get through to you," came the shrill voice from the heiress. There seemed to be only a few people in the mess hall. Unquestionably, no authority around for Weiss to be so vocal. Cardin backed away, hands in the air to protect himself from such a threat, still getting a rise out of himself and his teammates.

"Hey there now. No need to be screaming that, babe. I was only saying clearly people with money ought to stick together. Forget this lucky brat and come out on a date with me. I'm sure it will beat going to a dime store ice cream parlor." Cardin prodded the heiress harder. Yang could feel her hands clenched into balls, no doubt hurting herself. If Weiss were to throw the first punch, it was interrupted by her girlfriend.

"Look. She's with me. Now I better see you back off right now or next we fight, I promise to draw blood." Ruby got up and stood up to the instigator. The height difference was great, but watching her little sister be so noble was charming, reminding Yang of the days she would have to stand up to people for her. Appears it runs in the family.

Cardin responded by getting lower, almost touching Ruby's face. "And look at you. Little Ruby walking in the big boots of her lesbo sister. You should stay out of this while the adults talk." He tried to pepper the demeaning phrase with a couple of soft slaps to the cheek, but the fearless leader roughly shoved it away.

Yang felt her blood boil. Watching just a brief moment of the confrontation was enough to send her over the edge. The brawler tried to control herself, but was already seeing red. She grabbed an apple off the table and cried out. "Cardin, catch!"

Cardin turned around and noticed the apple shooting towards his face. With the reflexes of a hunter, he caught it, along with the punch that came after. Yang used the apple as a distraction to lower Cardin's defenses as she took a running start to strike him square in the face. Yang hadn't realized she had let her semblance release and her already powerful punch was amplified with the heat of fire. Cardin was sent across the tables, back bouncing off the wall and slumped down to the floor. Yang wasn't done with him yet. She crossed over the tables, fire catching in small amounts as the blonde made her way towards the man. Cardin was a punk, but was still a huntsman and was mostly protected by his aura, only leaving a dribble of blood coming from his nose. He clenched it and looked with ire as Yang closed the gap. She picked him up by the scruff, fire dying down as she held her impromptu opponent.

"You got a mean punch there, Blondie. Mind if you back off, you're..."

Yang quickly shut him up by forcefully shoving him up against the wall. "No smart talk. It's time for you to listen." Yang's eyes were still red, but Cardin was holding it together as he stared back. "You can make fun of me. Call me what you like, but you pick on my sister and we are gonna have some real issues. Let this be a small taste if you say or do anything more to my sister and her girlfriend. Are we clear?"

Cardin didn't respond, almost as if he lost the game of chicken, but refused to quit. He simply nodded his head and Yang stepped out and walked back to Ruby and Weiss, the reddened orbs draining back to lilac. "Thanks, Sis. Think you caught all of us off guard with that thunderous blow."

"Yeah, Yang. Thanks for that," Weiss added. The blonde pleased with her effort being imparted. Blake came up behind toting her own smile.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to see that happen. Unfortunately, prejudice thinking like that doesn't stop people like Cardin. It only reinforces the hate," Blake commented. Yang wasn't entirely pleased with her answer, but it seemed to come from a personal place. Right now was not to address it, but focus on one problem at a time.

Yang placed her hand behind her head, now embarrassed she needed to bring the incident up. "Uhh... Ruby, mind if you and I talk in the hall for a second?"

"Su-sure, Yang," Ruby agreed, looking back to her girlfriend and giving the cue that this was a private matter.

The three parts of team RWBY were out in the entrance hall. Yang didn't know where to go once she started, but began with the obvious. "Ruby, I'm really sorry for what you saw earlier. Blake and I were careless and forgot what time it was. Before we know it, you walked in."

Ruby's face lit up, remembering the very clear image from this morning as the two lovers were entangled in their fantasy. "No problem. Apology accepted. Can I go now?" The young leader quickly got out. Ruby was already making her way back to the mess hall, before Yang placed a firm grip to keep her sister in place.

"This is just as awkward for all of us. Blake," Yang propositioned for her girlfriend to speak her defense too.

"I'm sorry, Ruby. We'll be more careful next time. Certainly we will adhere to the rules better so this doesn't happen again," Blake promised.

Yang picked up where her partner left off. "Please Ruby, I don't want to distort your image about sex. I know it's weird because I'm your sister, but when the times comes, don't miss pulling the trigger because of this. Sex is pretty awesome, especially with the right person." Yang spoke fondly as she reached over and grabbed Blake's hand. She bent her knees to get down to Ruby's level, the gray eyes refusing to look at her. The blonde had to pull Ruby's face towards her to get her to focus. "Let's be adults about this one. We goofed, but we both know the day will come when you have to kick us out of the room. Please Ruby, if you're thinking about it, don't waver because I was negligent. It's something beautiful that you get to experience with someone you love."

It took awhile for the words to sink in, but it seemed the heartfelt message of love got through and Ruby's smile was returning to her face. She hugged her big sister and girlfriend, barely able to get the two in her small arms. "Thanks girls. Sorry for trying to avoid this. I was thinking about it, but if I can't really speak about it then maybe it might be too soon."

Yang's heart sank and face drained at hearing the sentence. Seems no matter how experienced Yang was in sex, it was still hard to hear her baby sister take such a mature step. "At-at least you're thinking like an adult. Looks like I don't have to worry about my little sister. You're growing up too quick for my taste, Ruby. Well, Blake and I have something planned so, we'll let you go."

Ruby thanked them again and ran off next to Weiss' side. Yang watched and felt proud and apprehensive of the young couple's future. But if Ruby were to make a mistake, it could be a worse one. Yang walked away with Blake in tow.

"That seemed to go well. I was expecting more of a fight from Ruby," Blake pointed out.

"Yeah... So was I," the blonde disappointingly said. Yang hadn't realized how sad an expression she was wearing until a small tear formed. She nonchalantly wiped it away, but Blake noticed it.

"I heard your voice shaking back there. Want to talk about it?" the Faunus offered.

"Not really, but that was easily that hardest thing to hear, ever." Yang's hand tightening its grip on Blake's. The blonde let out a deep sigh. "I'm so used to thinking about her as my baby sister that it's weird thinking about her being so adult."

"Well, I said I would take you minds of of things. I think now is good a time as any." Blake trying to be optimistic to spare the day of Yang being so down. The blonde grinned at the loyalty of Blake's dedication to her words.

"Just act surprised if you already know what's coming. This is an idea I got from a less smutty novel of your collection," Yang teased, knowing full well that Blake was trying to hide her blush in her taste in literature. The blonde stumbled upon such a treasure trove of laughs when pinning the Faunus to the bed, relentlessly tickling the dark-haired girl because Yang read it would be a good way to build partner relationships to know each others sensitive spots. Blake was completely aware this was a ploy to touch her, but submitted to the brawler's playful nature. The blonde hit a reflex and was kicked off the bed harder than she would have liked. However, it was worth it to find the slightly explicit hardcover of one of her books and all of Blake's adult literature in a haphazardly hidden suitcase.

Yang did read a few to see if they were as titillating as they seem. She had to admit some were sparking her interest, but the one that set itself apart from the rest was the one that had the perfect idea for a date. Yang didn't want to take Blake on the errand before the date to pick up a certain supplies, but it couldn't be avoided if they wanted semi-fresh food. Blake was keeping the air cool as she was in front of her favorite gourmet foods store. Nothing biased at it was Faunus owned, but she knew the irresistible delicacies that waited in there. Yang walked in empty handed, but came out with a picnic basket and a checkered, red-and-white blanket keeping the food warm.

Yang didn't like the backtrack, but the conversation was pleasant and made the ordeal a lot less painful. As they reached Beacon Cliffs, she saw the twinkle in Blake's eyes, knowing she figured out her surprise. The blonde admired the luscious green that awaited her. Glorious healthy trees as far as the eye can see and Yang had to find, again, the certain clearing she was at so long ago. The couple descended the mountain and kept a brisk run as Yang led with Blake tight in her hand. The blonde had been planning this idea for months, mostly because finding the certain area was harder than she realized. The day she found it, she collapsed with happiness and blasted trees with a marking from Ember Celica to find her way back next time.

"So, I see what you've been doing when you say you were helping Pyrrha with some sparring sessions," Blake teasingly deduced.

"I didn't mean to be deceitful. Then again, would you have even believed me that I was wandering around the Emerald Forest punching trees for markers."

"Probably not. If this is what I think it is, I'm beyond impressed. This must have taken you a few weeks and a few hundred punches."

"You don't want to know how many times I had to recreate that jump from initiation. I was in the double digits and was getting depressed when I started losing count. But sure enough I found it, several simulations later," Yang put out, almost reliving the horror in her tone.

"Well, it seems like training in some degree. If this is how hard you hit Cardin, it almost makes me feel sorry for him," Blake pointed out. Yang was brought back to the mess hall. The stoic calculating face of her girlfriend was not measuring up to the elation on Ruby and Weiss' face. It may not have been the preferred time for Yang to bring up something that irked her, but the longer she waited, the longer it could be taken out of context.

The blonde came to a complete stop, Blake perplexed at the change of air as Yang turned around, fiddling with her hair, finding a way to ask the Faunus. "Hey... uhh Blake," Yang still holding her hand, fingerless gloves being a sponge to the sweat her palms were creating. "Did me hitting Cardin upset you?" The ears under the bow perked up at the sudden accusation, "Look, I'm not poking around the subject because I'm hurt you weren't as ecstatic as my sister and Weiss, but you didn't exactly seem like you were on my side on this one."

The Faunus stood there, not contemplating a lie, but delaying the hurtful truth. She couldn't look Yang in the face with the admittance. "No. I wasn't what you would call impressed. I was actually disappointed when it was all said and done."

Yang wanted to scream at Blake, but was able to keep it to a loud roaring as Yang was pleading her case. "Disappointed?! Blake, all that happened there was my natural defense kicking in. Cardin was absolutely insulting and disrespecting Ruby. If I sat there longer, I probably would have blown a blood vessel and blacked out of anger. Are you saying it was wrong for me to stand up for my little sister?"

Blake snapped back, eyes narrowing at the sudden change of tone. To match Yang's voice, the Faunus authoritatively raised hers. "No. Not at all, Yang. A punch, especially a punch of that caliber, would have gotten the message across. It's what happened after I had a problem with. You threatened him. Granted Cardin is a scumbag and I detest him, but violence and intimidation is the reason I left The White Fang."

"But it's Cardin. It should be no different if we're fighting Torchwick," Yang snapped back.

"But it is," Blake chipped out. "Cardin is an innocent, hate being a byproduct bred from his family just like Weiss. It's actions like that don't help, but only make the Faunus plight worse. If some humans now treat Faunus as equals, it is not out of any true respect, but only from their fear of their actions. They are not the people to target with such aggression."

"Then what am I supposed to do when we're out and you're being being teased by some punk? Just sit there? Walk away and not give them what they deserve?" Yang sinisterly hypothesized.

"Yes. We can't fight like they do. If we're to change anything, it has to be the reestablishment or the dismissal of The White Fang altogether. You really scared me today. I saw fragments of him," Blake shouted out, choking on the last sentence, eyes shaking from the admittance of the underlying issue. Yang's temper burned out as the Faunus couldn't mention her ex. If there was one territory Blake hadn't crossed yet, it's the horrific breakup and systematic decay of her previous relationship with her ex. Yang could never get past the parts Blake would let her know which only ever got past his name and generic details of who he was to her alongside being her boyfriend. She knew when Blake was ready she would tell her. So she dropped it, waiting for the day that time would come. Today wasn't that day, however.

Yang released the picnic basket and embraced the Faunus tightly. Although met with initial struggle, Blake succumbed to the comforting hug. Yang turned her tone down, softly whispering into the Faunus' ear. "I didn't mean to bring up the past right now. I'm sorry about that. If you say I'm in the wrong, I'll take your word for it, but you're going to have to tell me the rules to this or else I'm going to beat up a lot of random racists." Yang peppered in the calloused joke. She couldn't see, but Blake's spirits were lifting with each word. "You said from the start that if I were to be with you, there would be times like these. As you can see, I'm not running away from it." Yang buttoned her apology by taking full responsibility for the fight, absolving the Faunus of all her anger.

Blake was released, but still held onto her partner's hands. The amber eyes so full on anger a moment ago were subsided to the mellow demeanor again. "I feel this will be a trial by error, only getting closer to the answer by making mistakes, I'll tell you about some etiquette when we get back. Until then, I'm still up for whatever you have planned if you are."

Yang pulled her girlfriend in closer, securing her hand around the waist. Blake picked up the basket and followed the markers to the destination. The fight was over, but that didn't stop the two from exchanging remorse. Blake was sorry for not saying anything in the first place, acknowledging that she wouldn't have said anything unless Yang brought it up. The blonde was quick to forgive. Being in a relationship for this long is new to her, let alone the added weight of Blake's righteous agenda. Yang was just glad that her hotheadedness wasn't clouding her judgment enough to not see her partner's feelings slowly overwhelming her. She vowed to protect her and it seems she would have to adjust her ideas of protection.

If there was any ill feelings lingering, they evaporated as the two reached the clearing where they first became partners. The occasional tan boulders in the background for the tall dark wooden trunks of the trees. The Emerald Forest was a fitting name for the rest of the foliage as bushes with red blooms were attracting the many insects to their buds, vines hanging from the occasional branch and the healthy soft bed of grass that awaited them. There was only one patch of grass that either of them were interested in and luckily, because a couple of Ursi snipped off a small lock of Yang's hair, left an easy identifier. The two peered down the trail of trees that were casualties of the fight, their stumps fully healed and firm as the rest had decayed, replenishing the ground with nutrients below. The ground that needed some nourishment was the grass behind them. The Ursa body that Blake killed now gone, dissipating to the air and the ground making up from the lack of sunlight and water. New healthy blades were far and few between, but were making a recovery. Blake walked across the ground and stood where she was when she used Gambol Shroud to critically strike the beast in a single hit.

Blake's eyes met Yang's just like so long ago. This time, Yang had a more seductive and pleasant expression than the dumbfounded look from before. Blake placed the picnic basket on the ground and rubbed the soil between her fingers, "Yang, what did you think when the Ursa dropped dead and I was standing behind it?" Blake asked, so self-assured of the answer.

Yang didn't have to think about it, the scene running through her head on occasion always with a question she didn't know how to ask. "Fishing for compliments, I see. I was completely blown away. I was so pumped up, ready to take him on, but then I see you. In a single strike, you eliminated it and I was impressed and stunned by both the beauty and mastery of that skill. Here's my thing, though, were you looking for me during initiation?"

"Seems you like to fish as well. If you must know, yes. Being with The White Fang made me very particular with whom I would be spending four years with. I wanted someone with competency and there were a few choices. But lets just say following the loud blasts of Ember Celica were very easy to track, so I chose you." Blake coyly said, pressing the fact that it could have been a few others.

Yang took a few steps forward, closing the gap between the two. "That's what I figured, although I was hoping for an answer of how awesome you thought I was." Blake rolled her eyes at the blonde's fantasy. "But this no doubt reinforces why I brought you here. That book I read talked a lot about fate, how the simple missteps can cause you to never meet that special someone. If I had a quieter weapon, would you have been able to find me? If The White Fang never turned into a militia, would you have ever attended Beacon?"

Yang was now in front of Blake, the Faunus beaming with felicity with each of Yang's words. The blonde lazily placed her arms around her girlfriend, matching her lover's gaze as eyes half-lidded. "What if you were a human and didn't have these ears?" Yang said as she reached up for the bow, untied it, and gracefully held it in her hand. Blake was already yielding to the blonde's charm, eyes closed, and awaiting for her lips. As the Faunus snaked an arm around the blonde's tight waist, Yang delicately lifted the Faunus' chin with the skill of an expert lover. Blake's free hand braced herself on Yang shoulder as she took a final look at her lover, totally exposed. Yang's lips lightly brushed against Blake's before diving in with a passion. The amorous mood created made the Faunus more receptive, begging the brawler entrance into her cavity. A few tentative licks later, the blonde invaded Blake's mouth, deliberately forcing a soft moan from the Faunus with each dance with their tongues. The complacent sighs gave Yang the permission to move a hand over the Faunus' tight stomach, fingers fighting the fabric to caress the tender breast. She was about to pin Blake up against a tree until an aggressive rumble came from Yang's stomach, causing the blonde to break the kiss, cheeks flaring from more than just the act.

Blake giggled, enjoying the embarrassment, but she had been dying to dig into the food since Yang had picked it up. She rolled out the blanket as the blonde presented the food. It may have been in a take-out box, but it was worth it to come out here than eat in the deli. Yang pulled out a rack of fish kabobs. A pound of fresh halibut, swordfish, salmon, and tuna, accented by the heat of peppers and sweetness of cherries. The blonde couldn't help but tease the Faunus, whose eyes are as big as dishes at seeing the main course. With a side of deep fried calamari and garlic dipping sauce, only made it icing on the seafood cake. The two didn't hold back, devouring the kabobs meat by meat, conversation mumbled with the chewing of food, only Blake taking her time to clear her mouth before answering. The blonde occasionally baited Blake to snag calamari from her mouth. The Faunus played along and pulled the tender morsel from Yang. The brawler came in asking for more, but her garlic sauce choice was backfiring on her with some less than fresh breath. Yang broke out a bottle of red wine, perfectly complimenting their fishy feast. With two wide mouth glasses, the blonde poured the smooth liquid, purposefully filling Blake's slightly higher to get a more frisky Faunus.

Blake took the glass, now full from the exquisite eats, swirling around, and taking a waft of the heavily alcoholic air before taking a sip. "I know I'll regret asking this, but how do you continue to get alcohol for us?"

Yang was already ecstatic before the Faunus could finish her question. "You know, these help a lot," she answered, jumbling up and down her voluptuous breasts.

The Faunus took a deep sigh, moving her focus to the glass in front of her. "I knew I would regret it," finishing it with a heavy sip from her vintage beverage.

"Aww, is my little Blake jealous?" Yang gulping from her goblet, amused by her girlfriend's immaturity.

Blake was circling her index around the rim, dancing around the answer before giving Yang the gratification. "Little bit."

"I know you know to not worry, but I'll remind you of my policy. The model is for display only, and no touching. Definitely not available for take-home or purchase," Yang jested, bringing a relaxed smile to Blake. The blonde had one more trick up her sleeve and it was lining the bottom of the basket. With the meal whining down to the elegance of the moment, she brought out the novel she took the idea from and presented it in front of Blake.

"I should have known you took it. I'm not one to misplace my collection," Blake said, relief in her tone.

"I actually didn't have time to read the ending. Mind if you read it to me?" Yang eagerly got out. Blake agreed and Yang got behind her, propping herself up against a tree. The Faunus now wrapped up in a blonde cocoon, back resting on the pillowy chest, Yang burying her face into the black hair, vision framed by the cat ears twitching from the intimacy. As the story concluded, Yang's initial optimism of the tale slowly faded as fate was backfiring on the protagonist. Losing the one he loved from mistakes he made in the past, now thinking back on them weren't worth the cost. Blake closed the book with the last line read, leaving Yang deflated with the ending.

"That uhh... that did not have a happily ever after that I was hoping for. Kind of leaves a sour note on a date so sweet," Yang complained, gripping the Faunus tighter with the gloomy reception.

"Not all these books have a happy ending. Sometimes, neither does life, but at least these type of tales gives some food for thought." The depressing idea flowed into Yang. The blonde sat in silence, doing exactly as Blake insisted. Like an epiphany, that answer dawned on her.

"If I am the author of our story, I would make sure that I don't squander what fate has blessed me with," Yang finishing of her sentiment with a few light kisses, nuzzling on the back of Blake's head. The Faunus felt the hope flow from her partner, letting the realist in her quiet down to turn around and give a well-deserved kiss on the lips.

Blake parted and Yang met the peerless amber orbs. "There's your sweet ending to this date. This story has two writers, though. I promise I won't write you out," the Faunus whispered, sneaking in a loving smooch, quelling the tense tone, Yang wrapping her arms around Blake, devoting her full resolution to keeping her words true. The blonde got over long ago that Blake wouldn't be adventurous outside the bedroom, but the alternative had grown on her. The Faunus curled up against her as Yang scratched behind Blake's ears, each stroke causing her partner's head to lean into her strong shoulder, fingers involuntarily digging into her stomach. The snuggling tickled Yang's face as the ears flapped onto the sensitive skin. The two sat there, enjoying the silence and the shade of the trees on the warm day. Soon, the two called it quits and headed back to Beacon.

* * *

><p>Yang was still riding the high of the date two days later. She shrugged it off as just love making her a little ditzy, but she was going to enjoy this ride. She dropped down to the lockers, grabbing her spare pair of training gear to go spar with a few dummies. As she opened her locker, a small black envelope fell from the top. Yang wanted to assume it was a cute love letter from Blake, but the letter seemed far more nefarious with the words '<em>open or else<em>' written on the front. She swiftly opened the top and pulled out the paper, spilling photos onto the ground. Yang cautiously picked one up and felt her heart sink from the image. It was her and Blake on their date, her girlfriend completely exposed as the Faunus she conceals everyday. Yang picked up the others, only to have each one having Blake in the focus. She agitatedly flashed her eyes to see any indicator as who would have sent this, but only found computer font and no signature. "_No. No. No! What happened? Who could have done this?_"


	11. Blake: Keeping the Cat in the Bag

This will be a nice quick update. Guys and girls alike, way to give me my 10G and beyond. I sure didn't expect to reach the amount of followers in the time frame. Thanks for all the support. Perhaps 300 followers for (20G – Personal Achievement) isn't that foreign an idea. Fav/follow and review. I enjoy reading them and your thoughts. One more time I'll pimp Bakki on DeviantArt as the latest Bumblebee pic should be out soon and also a cheeky White Rose in the works.

Blake: Keeping the Cat in the Bag

The Faunus was sitting on her bed, the warm spring air flowing through the open window as she was enjoying her read. She always felt the one true benefit of coming to an academy is its resources on books. It may not be the biggest selection of fiction, but she was able to find a few classics that peaked her interest. With such a limited budget, a small trip to the the library sure beat some days where her purchases at the local Vale bookstore would be hundreds of Lien. Not that she didn't see it as money well spent, but it would leave budgeting for anything else rather slim, especially the occasional surprise gift she would get Yang.

A good mystery was one of her favorite reads, mostly because she was able to guess along with the protagonist on who done it and how. It was exciting to figure out, correct or incorrect, the ending. Although she did have to pat herself on the back when she was right on the dot. In the novel she was half way through, the main character had already singled out the suspects and now just needed the motivation and murder weapon. However, Blake was finding it hard to interpret clues with Weiss and Ruby in the room.

The two lay on Weiss' bed, stomachs stretched out on the sheets and casually putting in some studying so they can go on a date the next week. Peppering in some time each day would allow for that. It's not that Blake found them to be a distraction with their back and forth of either bickering or flirting, but she did find it hard to ignore.

"Weiss... come on. Give me a kiss," the young leader pleaded as she was puckering her lips. The heiress slamming her palm in Ruby's face.

"Eww, not on your life with that cookie breath. You don't realize how gross it is for me to have the lingering smell of chocolate chip after a lengthy kiss with you."

"Yeah. I don't get it. Cookies are awesome," Ruby fired back.

"Fine, you want a kiss? Either you finish the rest of the studying for today or," the heiress paused bringing something out of her coat pocket, "you take a couple of these."

The dark green plastic container that Ruby hated was brought to her face. She immediately covered her mouth, splitting the fingers to get her complaint out. "You can't keep giving me those death strips. They're terrible and they sting."

"If they sting that means they are working. I already put up with your milk breath and that's only because you're very good about brushing your teeth afterward. You snack on cookies throughout the day and sometimes I'd rather not smell like a bakery. Eat it," Weiss commanded, narrowing her eyebrows. Ruby shook her head in response, forcing the heiress to show her hand.

Blake stopped her voyeurism and put her focus back to her book. "_Those two. They sure are cute when they argue. So long as it isn't over anything major they will be just fine. It is rather charming, though. I'm the only one that gets to see this kind of banter. Ruby and Weiss find it awkward to be so close when Yang is in the room. Speaking of argument and her, I'm glad we were able to roll over what could have been a serious issue. It's hard for those who aren't discriminated against to put themselves in my shoes, but Yang seemed eager to learn when we got back from our date. I don't think I've had to bore her with so much technical talk, but many incidents like that will be few and far between._"

Blake returned to her reading while the couple wrestled, Weiss determined to get the breath strip into the short-haired girl. Ruby may not have noticed it, but the heiress wouldn't be fighting this hard if she didn't want to kiss too. The Faunus held back her tongue, letting the younger ones figure it out on their own instead of embarrassing them both.

The white door crashed open, the couple immediately separating with a few loud yelps of terror and looks of fear towards the entrance. Blake dropped her book and was about to jump for her weapon until she saw the rushing yellow figure. Yang snatched the Faunus by the forearm, forced her from her spot and climbed onto the frame of the window. "Jump now!"

Blake didn't hesitate and did as she was told. She couldn't believe how she went from sitting still to a full blown sprint, but she barely had time for questions, let alone the answers, as Yang was dragging her somewhere. She reached the Emerald Forest before she knew it, blistering past trees with such force that the power they were creating was blowing off the leaves.

Yang came to a dead stop. Blake released herself, now frightened of the woman in front of her. Heavy breathing, fists clenching, shoulders tightening as the blonde stood, rage coursing trough her as the little fires of her semblance were releasing. Blake took a step back as the fire grew larger, and with a loud scream of violence came and explosion of heat. The blonde used her full force to knock the nearest tree next to her, cracking the mighty wood in half, sending the trunk into another, irreparably harming the wooden cushion. Tree after tree was being knocked down, staggering the Faunus at what she was witnessing.

"Yang! Stop it!" Blake screamed, the blonde not adhering to the pleaful command. Blake wasn't one to care too much about nature, but Yang was about to send the forest in an inferno if she didn't stop. The Faunus kept calling out to her girlfriend, trying to get through to her as she was stepping closer to the flames. Blake was running out of things to say, resorting to a last ditch effort to stop Yang. She released her aura, concentrating as hard she she could to protect herself. As soon as she felt confident, she bolted straight towards her target. The Faunus' arms bound the blonde, successfully stopping the rampage on nature, but the fire still burning hot.

"Yang! It's me, Blake! Calm down! It's alright!" Blake cried out, eyes closed, wondering how long her aura would assist in keeping her safe from the heat. Yang's writhing subsided along with the pyre of her partner. As she felt Yang's breathing normalize, her heaving chest letting deeper packets of air enter and release. The Faunus felt safe to look up, but felt it may have been too soon. Yang's red irises bled out, making way for the lilac ones she's grown fond of, but not the emotions behind them.

"Yang, please talk to me. You're really scaring me right now. What's this all about?" Blake asked as comforting as she could. The blonde's response was simply to place her forehead on the Faunus' shoulder, Blake relieving the burden that's been placed on her partner as Yang lay speechless, the answers she requested taking a secondary priority to whatever was causing her to act so berserk. The black-haired girl felt her girlfriend start to put her full body weight on her, Blake slowly lowering both to their knees on the grass beneath them.

The long silence was broken by a few words. "It's not alright. I might have screwed up, Blake."

Fingers threaded through the long blonde mane as Blake stroked the blonde's back. "Yang, whatever you did, it can't be too much of a grievance." Yang slowly raised her head, the consoling words of the Faunus not working as the blonde's eyes quaked. Yang reached into her satchels, an envelope in her grasp as she presented it to Blake. The Faunus almost thought it was an official school letter of serious penalty until she saw the words 'open or else' written on the front. She examined the brute force way it was opened, the top frayed and ripped thoroughly on some areas, the parchment crushed in what looked like Yang's hands seemed to be smoothed out. Blake brought out what was inside, a single page letter, to whom the letter was addressed to already had her throat tightening.

"To the Faunus and the Faunus-Lover..." Blake trailing off, unable to speak the words as she continued.

"_It seems someone has been hiding a dirty little secret from the rest of the school. Blake Belladonna is a cat Faunus. I should have known that you don't wear that bow as a fashion statement. It's so obvious now that I see it, especially when I know I saw it move couple times. Your cat ears twitch just like the filthy animal it comes from. I'll be honest, when I decided to take a few pictures of some girl-on-girl action to put on the internet, never did I think I would find this gold mine of knowledge._"

"Pictures..." she murmured out. A hand extended, Yang placing them in her field of vision. Blake's attention of the threatening letter diverted as she saw the slightly crinkled photos. The Faunus involuntarily shivered as she saw herself kissing, eating, and relaxing with Yang with her ears fully exposed. Blake was shocked at the privacy of her relationship being spied on, but even more aghast at the fact that it was combined with her true identity being revealed.

She read on. "_Now, here's what you do. Later tonight, you report to these coordinates that I've left on the bottom of the letter. Zero excuses. If you don't, I will put these pictures up around the school so that everyone can know the freak that roams the halls. I'll also still put them on the internet. I'm sure some sick pervert likes human-on-Faunus action. If you do comply, you will see me and we can talk of an arrangement. Hope to see you there._"

Her mouth fell agape as Blake finished reading the letter. Short, shuddered gasps of air, her lungs constricting as the shortness of breath was worsening, eyes contracting as the realization was hitting her over and over again. She was blackmailed. The letter fell between her fingers as she clenched her chest, heart beating impossibly hard it was hurting, a slick layer of sweat forming as her world was being flipped.

Blake felt the strong arms of her girlfriend wrap around her, cradling the Faunus' head "Blake. Breathe. Come on. Let's take deep breaths. Let's not forget your training now," she said in the most soothing voice the blonde could produce in her own anxiety. Blake did as instructed and inhaled deep, holding it for a few seconds before releasing. The Faunus continued as Yang was scrambling to calm her down. "I-uhh... try thinking of a happy place, anywhere you feel at peace.

Blake's mind frantically looked for the answer amidst the confusion. "_In a tree? No. A beach? No. Back at the dorm room reading alone? Yes, but also no. I can't think straight. What is relaxing?_" Her mind disconnected as Yang fumbled with other techniques she could think of at the top of her head. Hearing the blonde be so caring, so dutiful, so altruistic in her attempt to calm Blake down before herself gave the understanding she was searching for. "_It's here. It's here in Yang's arms and her in mine is where I'm most relaxed. It's the lazy days where she curls up with me and I read her to sleep, when I follow soon after, resting my head on her chest and let her rhythmic heartbeat lull me to sleep. Where I can separate myself from problems like Torchwick and The White Fang and have those momentary pockets of peace._"

With Blake's condition improving, she snaked her arms to mimic Yang's attempt to tranquilize her. As she was normalizing, Yang was too. The couple held each other in the partially destroyed part on the forest lasted as long as it needed to. Blake still mulled over the contents of the letter, the frightening aspect that in a few hours the entire school could turn on her, with the exception of her friends.

"I'm so sorry, Blake. I feel this is my fault by taking off your bow," Yang softly confessed.

Blake couldn't let her brawler beat herself up about it, Blake responded in Yang's chest. "Yang, you may be right, this could all be your fault, but I never want you to feel bad about taking off my bow. You're the only human that not only accepts who I am, but also hates it when I try and disguise myself. It's why I let you take the bow off. The fact that you have to see me without it means a lot to me. You love me for all that I am, ears included."

"But I'm going to assume that you're not ready for the rest of the world to see you like this?" the firm hands stroking the Faunus as she rested on her shoulder. Blake gave her reply with a few shakes of the head.

"The day will come when I can throw the bow in the trash, but until then, it's easier if I'm able to move around as a human. Change comes through continuous struggle and a small way to make the struggle easier is to work from the shadows, where I can't be noticed," Blake explained.

"Don't throw your bow away. I know I don't like it, but before I knew you were a Faunus, you were the cute girl in the bow reading in candlelight," Yang effortlessly dismantling the tension with some cheerful words, Blake letting herself smile for a moment.

"I'll let you have it then. Maybe you can start wearing it," Blake jested back.

"Yeah... maybe," Yang quietly quipped back. The near future now burrowed itself in their minds. The couple got themselves up, dusted each others knees off and headed back to Beacon, arms around each other in solidarity instead of love. Blake kept glancing back to the letter, the typeface not indicating who could have sent it, leaving a healthy discussion of who-done-it back to the dorm.

"Sure is a disappointment that the lockers are coed. Maybe could have narrowed this down to a girl if we had our own separate rooms," Blake pointed out.

"This isn't one hundred percent logic proof, but here's how I can narrow it down for you. This person was stalking us and taking pictures of us getting it on. Clearly a guy. I'd be amazed if a girl would be this disgusting," the blonde spitting fire at the depraved existence of the individual.

"For the sake of trying to figure out who did it, we'll say you're right, still leaving half of the school." Blake read over the letter again, searching for a clue that wasn't there, her determination unwilling to let the wool be pulled over her eyes. Yang took notice of the Faunus' eyes straining to analyzing the document.

"I know I shouldn't be saying this, but stop reading it. I read it about ten times and couldn't even narrow it down to class levels," Yang doing her best to reel the Faunus out of a spiral.

"Part of me agrees with you. I can't even find a motive other than a natural disdain for the Faunus, but it's not like we can go incriminate anyone just because they don't like my race. Even if they don't come off as hateful, there are still many uneasy around my people. I know I'm going overboard, but I hate walking into a trap. I am highly skeptical that the prick that did this would actually show up."

"I'm with you there. While you were reading, I did look up the coordinates. They are somewhere out here actually. I'd say go investigate early, but if the trap's already set, and we don't have our weapons, then it could end very poorly."

"Yeah... We have to play his game, but we might as well come prepared," The annoyance conveyed in her tone that they are on the defensive. Yang rubbed the Faunus shoulders, the small action reassuring the Faunus that Yang would be by her side. If there was a silver lining to any of this, it was Yang's loyalty shining through the darkness.

As the two returned to the dorm, the two grabbed their weapons and headed down to the training area. Both warmed up for the anticipating battle, trying not to overexert themselves, but the frustration of the situation did allow for a few too forceful blows to be exchanged. Blake always found it interesting to spar with Yang. Gambol Shroud is most effective at keeping enemies at a distance, allowing for precision strikes and a less likely chance of a head on attack. Yang though was all about the close quarters combat, having Blake to find a way to counter when the blonde got close enough to tilt the situation in her favor. Before they were a couple, this is what drove the Faunus to appreciate her partnership with Yang, making her a better huntress at the start of the gate.

After flexing the body, Blake was flexing the mind with quick meditation before they had to leave. She tried her hardest to get Yang to appreciate what it does, but the blonde couldn't sit still for it longer than a commercial break. As much as she wanted her girlfriend to join in some of her training habits, she was fine with Yang sitting back, rotting her mind to some internet clips or television before a fight. The letter didn't indicate when night was, but as soon as the sun was setting, the two set a pace for the objective point.

The spring nights in Vale were pleasant. The weather not too cold nor warm to have a brisk walk outside without a jacket. Full moon created enough light on the campus to have a natural silver polish to everything. With the slog of winter over, the insects migrated back from the south, their mating calls adding a pleasant soundtrack to the twilight sky. It would be such a romantic date, Blake and Yang hand in hand, the Faunus curling up to the blonde's curves unnecessarily close as they would talk about their pasts, peppering in the tongue-and-cheek flirt.

Unfortunately, all the pleasantness was going to waste as the two silently were walking down to their meeting area, still holding hands, but the spark nonexistent. As they were wading through the trees, Yang broke the silence. "Hey, I'm sorry I acted crazy earlier. I didn't meant to scare you. It was a lot of information to process at once and my first reaction is usually to punch things."

"I've been around you long enough to notice you have a temper. I do forgive you, but please work on it. It was alarming to say the least."

"I will. The last thing I want is for it to come up at an inopportune time, especially if it concerns The White Fang.

"Thanks. It's rare to see humans on my side. Some of them I feel are with us for a false aspect, as if they just want to be part of a counterculture. But when your numbers are so small, you take what you can get. It's rather refreshing to see someone like you that actually cares," Blake responded, giving a light squeeze of admiration to Yang's hand. The blonde always took it one step further and nimbly brought her hand up for a small peck. Blake wanted to stand back and admire the picture, never thinking that she would have someone this allegiant with her as a girlfriend.

Blake pulled a one-eighty in attitude since she read the letter. The crippling anxiety replaced with the determination to meet and defeat her hustler. Still, part of her training is to acknowledge fear, not ignore the reason she's fighting. She knew the situation had a very little chance of ending in her favor, almost a no-win kind of scenario. The only saving grace is that the perpetrator would show himself, but Blake wouldn't get her hopes that high. With the dream of victory so low, she contemplated how life would be the next morning if photos did surface around campus. The Faunus' spine crawled at the initial shocked reaction of the students, the more awkward and tense stares she would get casually walking around, and the possible hate she would have to face. The imagery alone was enough to make her cringe with fear. Even with the support of Yang behind her, this was the kind of treatment she was hoping to steer her away from. All the more reason to walk into this showing confidence, and to pull off the successful evasion of this trap.

The two found the meeting place. A single cave was in front of them, the Faunus already guessing at what would come next. With no signals of an applause or a greeting of some kind from the tormentor she felt confident enough to assume he wouldn't show up. As they surveyed the area, a small blinking green light on a dead area of the earth caught their attention, tiptoeing to the lucient device as to not set off a snare. A scroll lay on the ground, pulsating the message of '_activate me_' on the black screen. Yang pressed the deviously placed equipment to show something rather not surprising.

"Good night to you two, Blake and Yang," rang Cardin's voice. The Faunus' blood pressure rose at seeing the dark blue eyes, so gratified in his own tactics while filming it. "I do hope you girls come here or otherwise I would be up all night making copies. Team RWBY has always been a thorn in my side, but never had a reason to hate you until I found a Faunus in your ranks, and let's not forget a very underhanded punch thrown by you, Yang. I probably wouldn't have even followed you girls looking for dirt if you hadn't made a fool of me in the mess hall. But now the question remains of how to get back at the both of you. Ladies, I do hope you like your next three opponents courtesy of Team CRDL."

The video made a hard cut to the flashing message of 'this scroll will now explode in five, four...' Yang immediately threw the scroll in the sky, giving it a single shot from Ember Celica, the explosion big enough the give a generous amount of heat as it erupted. "Cardin," Yang chipped through gritted teeth.

"That fiend," Blake finished. A small stillness followed the blast, Blake almost calling Cardin's bluff until a monstrous roar came from the cave, a spine scrawling outcry that shattered the peace in the night. Blake and Yang got into their attack positions, waiting for whatever would rush out of the cave. A single yellow orb lit up from the black abyss, then another on the hill above it. The first Death Stalker came bursting out of the cave, some of the mountain's debris taken with it as the shambling Grimm confronted the ones who woke it. The second scuttled down the walls, another battle cry shouted before joining his friend.

"Want to focus on one or have a individual match with these things?" Yang harshly asked under her breath.

"I can take one, but I thought Cardin mentioned three?" Blake pointed out, narrowing her eyes onto the soulless bloodthirsty eyes of her opponent, the red markings of a Grimm flaring up as he taunted the duo.

"Well, all I see is two right now. Let's focus on what's in front of us and keep yourself on guard of a sneaky third one. Agreed?"

"Yeah. Go!" Blake immediately took a step back as Yang revolved her ammo in her weapon, landing a thunderous blow to her Death Stalker. Blake knew from previous battles that the safest place to fight one is to get behind them. As the enemy was charging, Blake was setting off Gambol Shroud into a sickle, hooking the tip of the stinger and whirling it around. The beast thrashed around, its massive pincers trying to pull back and attack the Faunus. Blake reeled herself down, tightening the chain and stabbed the bottom base of the stinger.

The creature gave a shriek of pain, whipping its tail forward and slamming Blake to the ground. She didn't slouch, aura protecting her and giving her the reflexes to roll around, evading the follow up sting from the hulking tail. The tip almost dwarfed the Faunus as it lifted the soil casually, the hole a perfect spot for a grave. Blake now faced the many eyes of the Death Stalker, blocking the claw attacks with quick feet and her weapons, bolstered by her aura. "_I need to get behind it again. I cracked the armor from the bullets underneath it._"

The Grimm lurched forward to try and grasp the Faunus in its mandibles, but Blake doubled back, using the chain on Gambol Shroud to swing around the trees, knowing she would only have one chance at this as the monster gave chase, dismantling her only way to swing. Behind the monster, again, she whipped to the top of the armored base, transforming the weapon into a dual blade katana, plunging Gambol Shroud into the weakened plates. Blake dodged the whipping tail as it attempted to scrape the Faunus off him. She was able to sever the nerves to the appendage with a few rough twists, the monster crying out as the part was severed off.

Blake flipped off the Death Stalker, examining her opponent. The creature was in a painful torment, barely able to keep itself standing with its many legs giving out from the pain. Blake didn't waste any time and pounced on the beast, taking chopping slices to the back of the head, staggering the creature with each blow. As the casing was cracking, Blake saw the segmented lining between head and body. With a small adjustment, she stabbed at the creature, Blake feeling the sharpened blade impaling the tissue and crushing the bone.

With the nerves cut off, the sudden drop of the Death Stalker meant her opponent was finished. She turned to aid Yang, realizing that her girlfriend was every bit as competent as her. The creature was on its back, writhing as Yang straddled it, pounding the Grimm into submission, the explosive fists continuing until Yang was able to break through the underbelly, littering the ground with red casings. Eventually, the blonde got tired, or maybe got bored, after she ran out of ammo and stood atop her opponent, dusting herself off.

"Overkill much?" Blake asked, examining the small scraps and bruises of her girlfriend.

"A little bit, but he was able to knock me back in the mountain a few times. Couldn't let that one slide past me once I had the upper hand," Yang smirking at her own explanation. Blake let the minor victory set in as she gazed on the proud face of her partner, dust ridden and a dribble of blood coming from her mouth, letting herself grin at the beauty after battle.

The pleasant mood was ruined with a yellow orb now hovering above Yang, red designs lighting up around her, a single strike occurred before Blake could react. "Yang!"

The blonde was side swiped by the monolithic pincer, her body landing by Blake's original death stalker. Blake immediately brought back out Gambol Shroud, dual wielding the katana and sheath as the enraged Death Stalker was sideswiping with its claws and the occasional jab with the stinger. She was already bushed from earlier, barely keeping up with the aggressive attacks. A big swing connected, sending Blake bouncing off the stinger she eviscerated. A few small coughs were released as the hit knocked the air out of her. She needed to end this fast, but there was only one quick solution to kill a Death Stalker. It's one true weakness is its stinger, the one item that ironically can penetrate its armor like a knife through butter.

Blake transformed her blade into the chain scythe, tying the other end to the cut off tail of her former adversary. She leaped into the air as the Death Stalker took a few last jabs before she was out of reach. Using her gun to propel her, Blake was high above the trees, able to get a good look at the town and the academy with her altitude. She flipped the tail and positioned it directly above the Death Stalker's head. Using her pistol, she speed up the stinger to strike down. Before impact, she leaped off, hoping the creature wasn't smart enough to know her tactic. As the dust settled, the head was concaved in, a few legs still spasming after death.

The feeling of a win was immediately blown away as the disgruntled moans of her girlfriend were the only sound left. Blake packed away her weapons and rushed to Yang's side. Her lover gripped the bottom of her right thigh, sighing away the pain, taking deep breathes as she could through the cursing. The noticeable blood trailing the shattered Death Stalker armor was clear to what happened, a clean slice into Yang's flesh as she was barreling towards it.

Blake got on her knees, placing her hands on Yang's leg, "Please, move your hands. I need to see how it is?"

Yang's acknowledged Blake's request, but her hands were involuntarily shaking from the shock and well deserved as Blake examined the wound. A large gash, ripping slightly up her shorts, was a half foot cut, deep enough for it to be bleeding copiously. "Is-is it bad?" Yang bringing herself to shakily get out her curiosity.

"Yeah... Pretty bad. Yang, jacket please," Blake ordered, She noticed her brawler struggling disrobing herself, procuring the Faunus to help Yang out with the tan garment. The benefit of the jacket is that its small sleeves were good enough to make a makeshift tourniquet, but the fabric was not enough to absorb the still bleeding cut. Blake knew what she had to do, but didn't want to risk anymore Grimm that may be lurking about, the wounded blonde an easy target.

Blake made sure her hand was pressuring the wound, much to Yang's displeasure as she winced at the pain. With the blonde being carried bridal style, the Faunus made haste back to Beacon, the lightning speed she was racing back had Yang tighten her arms around Blake's neck. Every second precious as Blake could feel the blood soak through, forcing her to readjust her grip when she could feel her hand slipping. Ever focused at what's in front of her, all Blake could hear was Yang's labored breathing get rougher.

"Blake..." Yang breathed out.

"Don't worry, Yang. We're almost there, just stay awake. OK," Blake tried reassuring her girlfriend.

"Not that... It's just... you carrying me... it's kinda...sexy," Yang barely spoke, Blake being caught off guard by the comment.

"If this were any other time I think it would be a little more sexy."

"Trying to... distract myself," Yang admitted. Blake smiling on the inside, keeping her face stern on the exterior as the worry for her girlfriend was increasing. The two reached Beacon's grounds, the infirmary was only yards away. She knew it was no hospital, but was hoping a doctor would be on call at an academy that trains fighters. With all the shouting and commotion, there was no response, leaving the only option of kicking down the door. With Blake carrying Yang, the added weight was beneficial as the door was knocked open, the latch plating coming with it.

Blake gently placed Yang on her stomach as comfortable as she could on the nearest bed, gathering pillows of some the spares to elevate her leg. The Faunus, still burning with adrenaline, looked for the items she needed to stitch up Yang, turning the office upside down to find a sewing needle, disinfectant, a towel, and a bandage. She hastily brought them over and set them on the table next to her girlfriend. Blake cleaned up the wound of the excess blood, before applying the disinfectant.

"I'm sorry, Yang. Brace yourself. This is going to hurt," Blake ordered. Lilac eyes contracted as she saw Blake holding the bottle of disinfectant to the towel. The blonde buried her face in a pillow, gripping the metal railing as she awaited the necessary evil. Blake counted down, but at one already surprised Yang with the agonizing pain of alcohol to flesh. The Faunus rushed through the process as quickly as she could, hoping the drugging would desensitize the wound enough for the next fun part.

Blake had to steady herself as she was trying to thread the needle, missing most of the time due to the chaos she's trying to control. She did a quick sterilization of the needle and thread, keeping her mind level as she had a more delicate procedure next. "I'm going to start the holding stitch. You ready?"

Yang shook her head up and down the pillow, muffling her cries of suffering. Blake didn't hesitate, as soon as she punctured Yang's skin, a small yelp was heard. Now it was like lacing shoes, except a lot more painful, the Faunus zigzagging with the needle, each stitch pulling the wound closer, small dibbles of blood excreting when a nervous twitch trembled through her hands, apologizing profusely to her girlfriend. At reaching the end, Blake tied the knot, seeing her work good enough for the wound to heal properly.

Yang flipped herself over, Blake putting on a new cotton cloth, wrapping the thigh enough to secure the fastening. The two were drenched in blood, Blake's vest and white top splattered with red, resembling bad modern art painting. Blake undressed Yang from her skirt, the wet clothing so soaked is was sticking itself to the blonde and the bed. The Faunus brought up a chair to her girlfriend, holding her hand as the other was brushing the sweat and hairs from her face.

"You did great Blake. I owe you one," Yang's mood reverting back to her bubbly self. Blake's high was coming down, able to see the situation and how it began in the first place. The more she stared at Yang's gracious face, the more she felt the guilt rise in her, eyes watering at the realization. Yang quick drawn to comfort the Faunus. "Blake, what's with the tears?"

Blake sniffled up mucus, letting a few drops fall before responding. "Yang, this is all my fault. This is what I was trying to tell you before we got together, what I was hoping to avoid, but look at you. If I were a human... you wouldn't have gotten hurt. I should be so stupid to believe it could be alright. I'm so sorry, Yang."

Hanging her head, the droplets dotted the sheets, choking back the sobs as she was trying her best to hold it together. Blake heard the sound of shuffling. Without warning, Yang's fingers lifted Blake's chin up, lilac eyes matching hers. "Please don't cry, Blake. If you do, I'm going to cry too."

Blake, unable to resist the sincere remark, nestled herself into Yang's neck, the blonde embracing the Faunus, warm wetness falling on Blake's shoulders, the Faunus digging her fingers into her back. Through her own shortness of breath, Yang tried her best to encourage her. "Blake, I never want you to blame yourself for this. I knew what I was getting into when I confessed to you, maybe a little cocksure that it would never happen to us, but it's going to take a lot more than this to convince me that we don't belong together. Sorry, Blake. I'm crazy about you. If taking a scratch or two every once in awhile means that's what it takes to be with you then I accept the challenge. We're huntresses. We put our lives on the line to fight Grimm to keep the general public safe. What makes you think you wouldn't supersede my priority?"

Blake's heart took solace in the words, knowing that there really isn't too much worse that could happen in terms of Faunus discrimination. Still, the wound was fresh from their encounter and it wasn't as effective as she would hope, tears still rippling as Yang held her, the bare shoulder wet. "But, I..."

"Nope. Not gonna hear it. It's going to take more than Cardin and three Death Stalkers to pull you from my grasp," Yang boasted. Blake knew she wasn't going to win this argument with the stubborn blonde. On second thought, did she want to win? Only to prove her dark idiosyncrasies about dating a human.

"Thanks, Yang," she murmured against Yang's dirt ridden skin.

"That's more what I was looking for. I know we're having a moment and everything, but I think we ought to discuss our retaliation."

Faunus ears perked up at the statement. "What revenge? Yang, I thought we went over this?"

"I know, but you said we can't hurt innocents, to let the occasional hateful slur go by and even if things are thrown at us, but you know this was taking it too far. He lured us in knowing that we would get hurt and hoping we would die. Cardin is no innocent. You see how he gets away with mistreating Velvet, even getting some of the other students involved, let alone his cronies. His next platform will be in the city promoting this kind of discrimination. I'm not saying taking the low road like he did, but we have to do something, anything to show him that he can't get away with this."

Blake stared into the violet irises of her girlfriend. She didn't know if even Yang was believing in what she was saying, knowing her brawler just wanted to fight back, but she did have a point. Cardin was far from innocent. If Yang was striving to use the Faunus' own logic against her, it was working. The small smile of her girlfriend, willing to back her up on any situation, pivoted her to take action.

"I hope you're up for some revenge. I don't do sloppy work," Blake announced, relieved to hear her own words ringing in both her and Yang's ears, a wide grin spreading across the blonde's face, a flurry of excitement racing within her.

"_I might be riding on a ship destined to sink, but I couldn't have a better first mate to travel with. Let the first couple's project we do be filled with the humiliation of our enemy._"


	12. Yang: Revenge is a Dish Best Served Scor

Another quick note. Umm, holy crap guys, I'm over 300 follows on the story. One day reaching 400 or 500 isn't some pipe dream. Till then, I can't thank you enough for following and favoriteing. Thanks for the continued support. White Rose fans, next chapter will be for you. After the initial unbalance of the coupling, the chapters now should now be equal service so there isn't long dry spells for either ship. In case you haven't seen, the new Bumblebee pic is on Bakki's dA and Tumblr so be sure to give him some well deserved love. Fav/follow and review.

Yang: Revenge is a Dish Best Served Scorching

With Yang patched up and Cardin's revenge in agreement, the two didn't see any reason to stay in the ward any longer. They surveyed the room, the mess created would no doubt cause the doctor to have Ozpin look into the break in. However, the consequences of the matter wouldn't be too severe if only a few cloths and some thread went missing. Yang stared at the medicine cabinet, knowing the glorious pills that would stop the throbbing in her thigh lay within her reach, forgoing them to make any future punishment less intense.

A bit dizzy from the blood loss and limping from the pain, without question, Blake picked Yang up again, the intimate gesture making the blonde blush, evening lighting concealing the admiration. Even in previous relationships, she was used to picking up her partner and carrying them to the room, slamming them against the soft sheets and ravaging their bodies. She knew this time was different, but there was still the charming effects of her lover picking her up so gallantly, making her feel so dainty when she is so dominant, the blonde feeling small and submissive.

She loved it.

"Can you admit now that this is kind of sexy?" Yang purred into Blake's ears, arms wrapping around the Faunus' neck, fingers tickling the small hairs of her nape.

"Sorry, try again. It's a little bit sexier than before, but considering that we have your bloody skirt in your lap and my top is just a dribbled mess of gore, I think we can do better," Blake answered, a small smirk satisfied with her reply. Yang loved the fiery sarcastic retorts of Blake. They may not have the sophistication of Weiss' fervent rants, but it got the message across in a more subtle demeanor. With the limited energy she could muster, she lifted herself to Blake's chin, pecking the lining of the jawbone, latching her mouth for a moment to tease the Faunus' neck, a salty flavoring coating the skin.

The cute, innocent gestures only caused Blake to giggle and, without the use of her hands, made it awfully audible in the stilled hallways of the dormitory at night. The light brushes from the blonde's thick mane were too much for the Faunus, her sentence breaking to the suppression of snickers. "Yang, stop... People… are sleeping."

"I know I should, but I am a bit smitten by you taking the reigns. I know this isn't the first time, but I always found it incredibly hot when you turn the tables in bed, the purposely placed hickey that my scarf can't hide as you publicly mark me, thoughtfully carrying me after patching me up from a battle like a knight in shining armor."

"OK, now you're mixing my filthy romance novels with the classic fiction you used to read to Ruby. Speaking of which, your sister and Weiss are going to freak out with us covered in blood."

The blonde saw the reasoning behind Blake's statement. "If we tiptoe in, I can grab a plastic bag from the convenient store and throw our clothes in it. We'll deal with it later."

Blake acknowledged Yang's plan, the two keeping silent as they approached their room. A room where Ruby and Weiss have been alone for several hours. Her stomach curled thought of what could have transpired, but Weiss, and definitely Ruby, would have text her to stay far, far away. The small disheartened thought fleeted through her mind as she noticed whenever she was in the presence of the new couple that they would be uncharacteristically detached for two people who supposedly liked each other. The rare times Yang has seen them be affectionate was immediately canceled as soon as the two noticed her. It's not like she could blame them. If Yang was in Ruby's shoes, she would be shied away from romantics in front of family. "Blake, what's Ruby and Weiss like when I'm not around?" she whispered.

"What brought that up?" Blake answered with her own question.

"You're my sentry, Blake, considering Ruby doesn't like doing anything around me. I just want to know she's being treated right."

The Faunus replied in her hushed tone. "Umm... they're very cute. Weiss is a feisty one, but Ruby knows how to handle the ice princess very well. She has her charm that seems to melt Weiss' heart, who is more than gracious for your sister's love, more so than she likes to express. I assure you, Ruby may have had a hard time opening up Weiss, but they are as lovey and kissy as they should be. They also still bicker like crazy."

Yang smiled to the thought that everything was normal between them, especially since they started wearing each other's emblems around their necks. Yang wished she had the idea first for Blake and herself, but if that was the tipping point for Weiss to embrace Ruby's love, she'd let it slide. All that mattered was that Ruby was happy and the accidental walk-in didn't cause some sort of stunted relationship growth. With the dorm a few feet away, Yang silenced herself.

Yang opened the door as Blake gradually entered, putting her skills to use, not making a sound as her boots meshed against carpet. The blonde blinked on impact towards Weiss' bed, only to have herself hard to look away from the scene. Blake was making her way towards the bathroom until Yang tugged her vest, pointing towards the sleeping duo. The Faunus rolled her eyes and gave into her girlfriend's wish. With more careful steps, Blake moved toward the ridiculous bunk bed, lighting Yang with a squeal that she almost couldn't contain. Weiss slept on her side, a relaxed expression in her blue nightie as cuddling behind her was Ruby, in her rosy pajamas, whose hand was cradling the heiress'. The leader' face buried in the back of Weiss' head, hinting at the pleasantness of it all.

Yang didn't want to tear herself away from the image, but Blake had already turned around, the blonde brushing away the dark hairs to get one last look at Ruby. "Y_ou go, Little Sis,_" Yang thought before the door closed behind them. Blake grabbed a plastic bag under the sink, throwing the soiled garments in that need special attention to be dealt with later. With both basically naked, Yang suggested a shower, Blake concurring as it would be harder the fall asleep feeling so grimy. Blake offered her to sit at the corner seat, the Faunus aiding the blonde in every fashion.

When they were together in the shower, it would be usually getting dirty while getting clean. Yang was disappointed to know she had to play patient while Nurse Belladonna had to give the injured a sponge bath. It wasn't about the missed sexy time, she just didn't like to feel helpless, offering to wash as much of herself as she could, even taking the duties of scrubbing Blake's back. Casual exchange was had, Yang naturally still poking Blake's buttons.

"How red would your face be if you still kept those feelings bottled up and never took that leap?" Yang ribbed the Faunus as she was washing her hair.

A long pause of either Blake not wanting to answer the obvious baited question or ignoring it completely, but then Blake replied in a way that Yang didn't expect. "I would probably faint from all the blood rushing to my face. There's a reason I kissed you out of the blue. You're a beautiful person, Yang. I would argue on the inside more than the outside."

Eyes widened at the surprise response, the jest responded with sincerity that made Yang feel remorseful. She loved to tease her girlfriend as much as she could, the Faunus able to dish it back whenever she crossed a line is what made them compatible. If Blake were to be so honest, the blonde resolved to be forthright as well. "I-I would probably be a little shy taking my clothes off around you. I always thought you were cute, but umm... but if we weren't together, I'd be bashful, flustered even to look at you."

"The flustered Yang. It's like the eighth wonder of the world."

"Keep compliments up like that and I'm sure you'll see it." Blake and Yang enjoyed the rest of their bath in candid conversation. The brawler always learning something new about her girlfriend each time they spoke heart-to-heart. It may not have been the most ideal way about doing it, but their encounter with danger today forced appreciation from each other, making them closer and more determined to get back at Cardin together. With a final rinse down, the girls moved to drying the length of hair that probably woke up Ruby and Weiss with the annoying humming of the hairdryers. As Blake got Yang dressed and readjusted her bandage, the blonde was thinking of the revenge, finding it difficult to ride the borderline of justice and not getting expelled from school.

"Wait. I bet we can, no... that's going to draw blood. This is way harder than I thought I was going to be," Yang spoke, hand on chin, pondering the ways of revenge.

Blake was finishing her knot on her robe now that her girlfriend was dressed. "Don't think of it as hard. Think of it as you getting more creative with the limitations."

"I got it. We forget all of this and just have Nora break their legs," Yang joked, the Faunus grinning at the absurdity.

"If worst comes to worst, we'll recruit others, but I think you could agree that this is our project," the amber orbs lighting up from the couples project that awaited them. The two flirting without words was common enough at this point, Blake acknowledging the blonde wanted some affection and placed a well deserved, impassioned kiss on her lips. Yang was always one to test the waters, hand sliding up the firm leg of the Faunus, Blake stopping her as she hit the white trimming of her sleepwear.

"I know you're feeling it, but I also know you're tired and hurting. Let's keep it cat and mouse till we get those stitches out of you, alright?"

Normally this is where Yang would effortlessly woo Blake into a frenzy resulting in getting what she sought, but hearing the Faunus' genuine words of caring for her well-being made her see the bigger picture. Yang always knew where she stood in terms of beauty and deep down she lived up to the societal stereotypes in the past. She learned with experience how her partners saw her, but due to her assertive nature was able to ignore it. Being with Blake made her see how much she missed out on being seen as someone special, someone worth caring for, someone seeing past her appearance and valuing it more.

Yang hid her real feelings, making sure she hit her timing. "You said cat and mouse because you have cat ears, didn't you?" she said with a smile from ear to ear.

"Yeah. Puns are awesome, aren't they?" Blake stealing Yang's humor, the blonde's heart swelling with a new found fondness for her girlfriend. Blake was used as Yang's crutch to get her to bed, the Faunus thinking ahead and grabbing her own pillow for the blonde to cradle the thigh through the night. Blake slipped the covers over both of them, nestling herself under Yang's arm, the Faunus never looking so attractive.

Despite having a grave injury, Yang was far too awake from her feelings, the new intensity burning within her as she watched the Faunus sleep. "_I'm not going to let you down, Blake. You say I see past your ears, well, you see past my image. I never have to remind you stop staring at my gauntlets, something that... I didn't think I would cherish. Just wait, Blake, I'm going to create a revenge plan so good, Cardin won't ever mistreat a Faunus again._"

* * *

><p>Yang played sick the next morning, a few coughs and a weak voice was enough for Ruby to ignore her sister for the time being. Weiss, as expected, was skeptical, but her little sister was the first to rush her out as fast as possible. Yang and Blake couldn't stress enough that the less people that were to know about this would be best. Discretion is a must in espionage, and making two less people part of the experience would be easier to not get caught.<p>

Blake was as stellar girlfriend as Yang predicted, bringing back notes, comfort food, and resting by her side as Yang was busy writing and rewriting the plan she was preparing for Team CRDL. The Faunus wanted to help more with the plan, but with school in full form, she knew she couldn't slack off for either of their sakes. Yang had Blake help in more of the acquisition of certain items, items that the Faunus had her suspicions about, but her girlfriend was convincing enough that it was crucial.

A few days later, Yang was able to get Ruby and Weiss out of the room, sitting Blake down with a whiteboard and going over the madness she had concocted. The Faunus stood both in awe and confusion as the mix of multicolored squiggles and poor drawings were starting to make her head spin. "And this is why the Rapier Wasps are crucial," Yang explained.

"If that little rumor wasn't revealed by Jaune himself, I would absolutely be against that part. If Dove is allergic to those things, we could actually kill him. You sure, he's not allergic?" Blake questioned.

"I have no clue, but if he was allergic, he probably wouldn't have been part of Cardin's plan in the first place. I would think someone like that would have a phobia and provide his 'fearless' leader something better."

"Fine. I will let this one slide this time, but you are making this too risky. I'll go down and attract a few into a box tomorrow during lunch," Blake rearing in the wild blonde. Her focus zeroed in on a small drawing the in the corner. A small pair of rabbit's ears next to a big C with swords running through it. "Yang, what's Cardin's part in all this?"

"Alright, alright. I know you said keep it between us, but I had an epiphany when looking out the window today. In the distance, I could see Velvet, again, getting laughed and ridiculed by students, Cardin's influence clearly manipulating some of the student body. My idea was we get Velvet to seduce him and keep that photograph as proof, checkmating him with his own tactics."

Yang was hoping for more of a congratulatory response, feeling so good of the idea when she came up with it that she deserved a medal, but Blake had a less than stellar reaction. "Yang... I love the idea, I really do, but there's is no way we can get Velvet to do this. If there is anyone who dislikes Cardin more than me, it's her. Also, she's incredibly shy and reserved. Could she even bring up the confidence to convincingly get him in a compromising position?"

"If we tell her our plan, I have zero doubts she'll join us and, as for the reserved thing, I remember a certain Faunus blushing and fumbling her words when she was first trying to be sexy." Yang bent down, running a few fingers through Blake's thick mane. Her girlfriend crossed her arms, embarrassed she could have been such a novice in front of Yang at some point. "We blackmail Cardin, he stops this for good. We'll talk with Velvet, I'll show her some moves, and a few of yours."

Blake couldn't resist the large grin spreading across her face, Yang's heart beating faster as she saw the confidence in her plan clicking with her girlfriend. The Faunus turned, amber eyes secure and trusting in the blonde. "At least I know you haven't been wasting time in here. This is actually as planned out as one of your dates. I don't know what that says about you."

Yang let out a small laugh to Blake's dry humor. "I commit to things I love. I love you, but I also am very fond of some old fashioned revenge. This is a pretty sweet combo. You think we can have all of the items by the end of the week?"

"Yeah. Don't worry about it. We talk to Velvet together, though. I think I can pry her from her team for a bit after dinner if you want her reply as soon as possible," Blake offered.

"You are the best collaborator in a revenge scheme ever," Yang cupping Blake's face, landing a large smooch on her lover's lips. As grim as the situation they were in was getting, there was some joy into having a partner in crime as Yang was figuring it out. In a brief flash, she ran through the people she interacted with in the past, none of them would have the backbone, conviction, or trust that Blake has put into Yang. The powerful confined lust only grew in her, knowing her stitches were a dam ready to burst once removed.

* * *

><p>The end of the week couldn't have come faster, especially to Yang who's sickness was manufactured, forcing the perfectly healthy person to stay in her room when she was feeling almost one hundred percent. Blake had to constantly remind her that part of a good cover is playing the part, Yang hanging off every word as her girlfriend scouted team CRDL, getting their routines down, figuring out when they were alone the most. When Blake brought back all the data she needed, Yang set the plan into action.<p>

With the temperatures rising, it wasn't uncommon for students to have their windows fully open to air out the stuffy heat from their dorm rooms, Blake finding it too easy as Yang was explaining part one of the plan. "Seriously, just replace his hair glue with this industrial adhesive?"

"Yeah. I was even able to tint it to the similar color of his normal cream. I know this is going to take forever, but I'll be outside their room setting up the recording. Hopefully he screams. If he runs out, though, that's a few thousands hits on the internet for this kind of gem," Yang gleefully explained, Blake rolling her eyes as she turned and scaled the wall to the boy's bedroom. A few careful peaking past the curtain and Blake disappeared behind it, signaling Yang to hobble back to her post. Her girlfriend was taking longer than expected, Yang anticipating this from how thick the viscosity was of the hair glue. As the blonde was taping a few small cameras and mics outside the door, the Faunus appeared, a wide smile across her face, sensing that her girlfriend was now seeing her side of this plan.

The two went back in their room ready to rise the next day for the next phase of their plan. It was time sensitive, but not impossible to pull off. "Do you really think a simple magazine is going to be enough of a distraction?"

"He's a seventeen year old boy. A photo of a girl in a bikini would hold his attention. I see the way Sky stares whenever Pyrrha and I bend over. It's repulsive, but enough for me to take a good guess he's going to get distracted with whatever you bought. What's going to be hard is what comes after. Sky can't dilly dally if we want Dove in his room alone. Cardin and Russel should be out, though, long enough to spring the Rapier Wasps on him."

"If they are still alive, I don't know how long those things last without food and water. Couldn't poke too big of holes in the box neither," Blake added.

"Even if they're weak, the second they smell the red sap, they should become a ravenous bunch of vicious insects," Yang pointed out, reassuring that her plan would work.

"Oh my gosh. Blake! Yang! You have got to see this!" a loud shriek coming down from the cafeteria. For a half-second, Yang thought her plan was being discovered until she connected the voice with the face. The spunky redhead from Team JNPR was practically somersaulting her way towards the couple, knocking a few elbows with the other students at their seats. Yang had to back away from Nora almost shoving her scroll in her face. "Just take a look at Russel!"

Yang and Blake taking a look back, the image focusing, revealing a job well done. Not only was Russel able to get he hands stuck through his mohawk, but even a comb and parts of his scalp were in the mess. The mixture of both embarrassment and anger resonating from his face, annoyed by the few cameras capturing the humiliation. Yang couldn't have seen her plan working out that well, having to hide her pride as she was acting for Nora. "Oh man, looks like someone is certainly having a bad hair day," snickers flowing freely.

"I know, right. He's going to the hospital. It turns out there's nothing at Beacon that can dissolve the glue. He may even be like this till tomorrow. I got to show Jaune. Oh, there he is. Jaune! Jaune, come here," Nora already spreading the rumor windmill like wildfire, Yang guessing within the hour everyone in the school would know.

"The enthusiasm from that girl scares me sometimes, but you heard the news. Russel officially won't be in the room. That's one down," Blake said, the sinsiterness of a well planned out revenge seeping out in her rascally grin.

"And three to go," Yang finished, an equally baleful smile curing her lips as he gave a gentle peck of satisfaction to her girlfriend. They finished breakfast quickly, giving themselves breathing room to follow Dove and Sky to their training area. Seeing the pieces fall into place, it was time for them to set the rest of the plan into action. Blake was having to pull double duty because of Yang's injured leg, but she was able to coat Team CRDL's drapes with red sap, liberally applying the sticky mess to the fabric. Making sure the jar was empty, she doused the rest onto the floor, guaranteeing the Rapier Wasps would enter.

Yang was with the only thing she could do at the moment, flip through a very lewd pornographic magazine, seeing as the hard part of opening Sky's locker was easier than expected. Turns out having your password be 1234 was not in his best interest. The blonde was slightly disappointed as she had spent all night learning the basics of breaking into the rocket lockers. After done looking through the airbrushed nakedness, she leisurely placed it, no doubt the cover alone would have the boy stop and gawk. Sealing the locker as she left it, she waited for Blake outside the locker room. The Faunus showed up promptly. "Red sap is everywhere. The next part is all up to you."

"Great. The wasps alright?"

"I heard them buzzing. Adding a little fire under their stingers should send them into a frenzy."

"Great. I know I shouldn't be asking this, but do you think you can keep yourself hidden in one of the curtains for like thirty minutes?"

"I have a few stories to share with you one day. One in which I was waiting for about thirty-six hours in one location due to bad intel. I'll be fine," Blake assured. As Yang walked away, the Faunus gave a bold slap to the blonde's butt, Yang flinching at her girlfriend's spiritedness. As she was leaving, thinking that a quick stop to their room to remove the stitches prematurely wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

Yang kept her scroll in her palm, not wanting to accidentally miss a text from Blake. She went to the tree that housed the insects, grabbing the discreet cardboard box that was humming louder with each gentle shake. Yang noticed that the small holes Blake had created were bigger, little chew marks around them. The wasps couldn't wait to escape, trying their own prison break before getting exhausted from lack of food and water. Yang just hoped she was fast enough to punch through the cardboard and not be stung, expecting the insects the seek out the sweetness that they can smell.

A mechanical vibration came from her other hand, a text from Blake saying "_Launching missile in three, two..._". Yang appreciated the humor as she glanced towards the sky, the little blue flame and smoke streak floating across Beacon. Yang didn't know how far the locker would go, but she told Blake to punch in 9999 as the destination. If anything, she knew there wouldn't be any more fuel for a return trip, leaving only one last member left before they could attack the big bird.

Counting down backwards from thirty, Yang assumed Dove would be in his room. With a quick strike, she blew a hole into the side of the box. With another quick reflex, threw the box up to the window, the swarm having to ride Yang's kinetic force. A large black cloud of hungry Rapier wasps descended on the room. She may have been on the ground, but she could hear the faint sounds of panic and pain coming from the open sheets. Finding her job completed, she grabbed the box and popped her semblance, reducing it to ashes, letting them scatter as she casually made her way back to their dorm room.

Blake was already sitting on the bed, a book in her hand as she leisurely was waiting on Yang. "Judging from the big smile on your face, Dove has been successfully treated to his own plan."

"Yeah. I can't believe they were going to do that to Pyrrha and us. Savages, am I right?" Yang sarcastically joined in, plopping herself next to her girlfriend, poking her nose into the book. "The evidence should be gone. Those Rapier Wasps were all over the curtain, and since I destroyed their nest, they will no doubt be looking for a new one. In a couple hours, Cardin should be alone in his room."

"I'll send Velvet a text. You sure all she'll need is her school uniform?" Blake questioned.

"Yeah. I know I haven't tried seducing you in that thing, but trust me. A few tweaks here and there and Cardin will be drooling over her, rabbit ears and all. How did it go with Sky? Smooth, I assume," Yang pondered.

"Actually, I was scared he was about to run to the restroom with it. I saw him making his quick escape in his mind and quickly stuffed him in the locker. No class that one, didn't even bother to appreciate the articles," Blake dryly said, Yang picking up on her distaste for everything about the situation.

"You hated buying it..."

"Never make me do it again." Blake put down her book to sternly give Yang a look of disapproval. "I like fiction, not fake." Yang smirked at the immediate objection to it all. She didn't need to tease anymore, the words behind her negative comments was enough to see the positive, how much she loved the real Yang, inside and out. The blonde gave a small kiss on the cheek and returned to grazing over the book with her girlfriend. She may have had no clue at times when she randomly peers into whatever Blake's reading, but it was always interesting, the deepness of the elegant writing making her appreciate Blake's mystique.

A knock was at their door, Yang sprung up as Blake placed her book on the shelf. The brown-haired Faunus walked meekly into the room, hand caressing her forearm as she sat opposite the couple on one of the desk chairs. "He-hey girls, how's your weekend been so far?"

"You know, just lazing about like we usually do," Yang lying to cover up the rest of the mischievous nature they had been up to. "Since you're here, I think it's safe to say you're ready to end today with a bang."

The rabbit Faunus waved her arms in extreme disapproval of what was said. "Wait, you girls didn't say anything about sleeping with Cardin. I-I won't do that..."

Blake stepped in to crowd control the situation. "Please excuse my girlfriend's poor choice of words. The plan is the same. You seduce Cardin, we get a few pictures and some video, we blackmail him, and he leaves you and other Faunus alone. You don't even have to kiss him."

"We're sorry if he does, though. I'll buy you as much mouthwash as you want to get rid of that taste," Yang buttoned her own apology with humor that Velvet was taking a liking too.

The big rabbit ears relaxed as her excitement was dissipating. "Alright, but I've never had to do this before. I'm far too scared to try and act sexy, especially for him. I have a feeling that I'll walk in and it will be another disaster, just more ammo he can throw at me. I can hear it now. Him screaming how Faunus should know their place and not fall for those more superior to them."

Yang looked over to her girlfriend, a frown of harmony present as she was agreeing with the thoughts of her Faunus brethren. "Wouldn't even put it past him to boast of how he'd be the obvious choice. Only he thinks of himself so highly," Blake said through gritted teeth.

"I know this is new, different, and a little frightening, but take it from me. If you walk in with confidence, it will be Cardin bowing to you begging for attention. You're a very pretty Faunus, Velvet. Anyone would be lucky to have you. With that being said, a few well phrased sentences and the right amount of skin will make you dominant in that room and have Cardin where we want him. What do you say? Think you can learn a few tricks with an hour?"

The Faunus averted her gaze, her lap being a more comfortable place for her to stare as she contemplated the situation. Her hands fidgeted, grinding the fabric of the plaid skirt as she was thinking. Yang was holding her breath because if Velvet didn't accept, it was going to be Blake that takes her role. From a tactical standpoint, it would be too suspicious. And from a safety standpoint, Blake was about a snarky comment away from breaking Cardin's windpipe. A cooler head and a more tolerate heart was needed. Yang exhaled to Velvet's nervous nod, determined now to turn her into a femme fatale Faunus.

Yang doesn't get to play teacher often, Ruby being too smart and resourceful not needing her big sister's help as much as she aged. Velvet, though, was a doughy mind that she had fun shaping until the sun set. Every lewd trick she used to have guys do her favors was being coached, the rabbit Faunus picking it up fast, but she wasn't so sure she can boost a girl's confidence up in the time, Yang instead advising she use the shy angle. A demure blush instead of a haughty one, Blake commenting that Cardin would like it more because of how alpha he is amongst his group of friends. With everything the couple could teach her, they left it up to the nerves of the Faunus, waiting outside Team CRDL's window as they hit their first roadblock.

"Okay, I should have taken into account that they'd probably shut the window after a swarm of Rapier Wasps entered the room," Yang sorrowfully commented.

"Wouldn't be surprised if they even boarded it up. I'll send a quick text to Velvet making sure she opens it," Blake pulled her scroll out, rapidly typing out a message.

"Tell her it's a strategy. There's a nice breeze out and it would make her hair flow," the blonde added. Minutes later, a text from Velvet said she was outside Cardin's room, Yang hopping on Blake's back, the Faunus expertly scaling the wall with Gambol Shroud as they were picking their way to the top. They stopped below the window, hoping every second that they weren't getting a text message that Velvet was in the room, Cardin hopefully not putting up much of a fight as the only excuse that would let her in is saying the printer is broken and Professor Oobleck had spilled coffee on her paper, immediately requesting a new one.

Yang wanted to listen in, but didn't want to bang her head against glass if Velvet suddenly pushed the panes open. The two gripped onto the black strands of Blake's weapon, scaling the academy with the sickle end firmly planted into the brick. Yang held her scroll at the ready, not wanting to miss a second once Velvet started, hoping to get the money shot before the rabbit Faunus gets in too far. The rustling of the trees below was broken when the windows flew open, Yang almost dropping her scroll from the sudden action.

"Way to trip and open the window," came the condescending voice of their target, Yang rolling her eyes at the overly superior tone.

"I-I'm sorry, it's just these are old shoe laces and I must have caught when I stepped. If anything, the room smells like poison. You sure I shouldn't leave this open?"

"Don't tell what to do, but you have a point. The chemicals were building up. I thought the school would have had more sense when they were eradicating the pests."

Yang and Blake moved stealthily under the window, positioning their cameras for a better view of the room. Velvet had already moved to the bed, raising her leg in a very unladylike way, presumably flashing her bright, innocent whites to Cardin. "Get off Russel's bed. I didn't say you could sit," he barked.

The rabbit Faunus immediately obeyed, the confidence in her last attempt shaken. Yang may have been looking through a four inch screen, but she was sure, she saw Cardin blush, finding it hard to not have a normal reaction to seeing a pretty girl's underwear. Velvet stood by the printer as Cardin sat next to it, impatiently waiting for the Faunus to leave. Yang was losing hope in her plan until she saw the timid girl start to unbutton her school jacket, the tan vest prominently lifting her breasts, giving a nice slick show for Cardin. "Wa-warm weather, am I right?"

Yang almost banged her head against brick with the ridged delivery, the blonde's mood bouncing back as Velvet enacted a classic drop. Her hands slipped and a few of the pens on Cardin's desk fell over. Before Cardin could say anything, the Faunus was already on it. "I-I'm sorry. I'll pick those up."

For an inordinate amount of time, Velvet took her time on her hands and knees, making sure to reveal as much cleavage to her oppressor, their target easily being swayed by the Faunus' allure. As she was studying Cardin, Yang wondered if all men looked at her that way as well, finding an unrestrained gaze to be quite obscene. Velvet got up, but it seemed her natural clumsiness couldn't be avoided, her slipping on a pen cap and colliding into Cardin in his seat. Yang didn't know how she was feeling about her plan as the rabbit Faunus was making such intimate contact, but then the magic happened. As Velvet was on top of Cardin, she saw the free blush rush to his face, her cleavage almost directly on top of him. Yang could have sworn the young man was going in for a kiss, but already had the footage they needed and screamed, "And cut!"

Cardin jumped out of his seat along with Velvet, Blake hoisting the couple into the bedroom. "What is going on? How long have you two been out there?"

"Long enough to capture a certain prejudiced man enjoying the company of a Faunus. Velvet, you can step away from that creep and feel free to cover up," the rabbit Faunus not hesitating as she screened herself from the boy terror. "I now present my director of photography, Blake, who I'm sure has the most incriminating of photos," Yang announced, Blake sifting through her scroll, presenting Cardin with himself caught with a Faunus on his lap. The horror running through Cardin was present on his face, even him trying to spin it differently was coming out haphazardly.

"You know this means nothing. Who do you think is going to believe you? I can easily say that it's doctored."

"Sure you want to risk it, though, Cardin?" Yang countered. "Sure you won't think Mommy and Daddy won't flip when word gets around their son is a Faunus-lover? Think you won't lose some respect amongst your friends or community? Think it's really worth all that avoidable hassle?"

Cardin stood there, his face showing the cogs hard at work, knowing how hard he's been checkmated. "Fine. Name your price."

"I don't want your money. I want the photos of Blake and I deleted. And when I say photos, I mean all of the photos, cloud services and all," Yang cunningly told the man. Cardin made his way to his laptop, running through any services he might have used in the past to backup the photos. Yang felt Blake take her hand, the Faunus interlacing her fingers as they stood together, their victory over Cardin strengthening their bond.

Cardin swiveled back in his chair, face annoyed, indigo eyes sharpened as they met Yang's. "There, that should be all of them. Now, can I see your scrolls and delete your stuff?"

The blonde swiftly went past the man, placing her hand on the laptop, patting the top. "Just one more thing." Yang reached back and pounded her fist into the laptop, screen shattering and a few keys popping off from the impact.

"Hey!" Cardin reacted, Blake silencing his further shouting with Gambol Shroud's sharp point digging into his throat. "That wasn't part of the deal," his voice toned down.

"It wasn't, but consider it insurance," Yang walking with conviction, facing Cardin head on. "We can never know if you kept your word. You're a very deceitful person. Unless you want to lose your parents trust fund to help buy you a new computer, I hope that you were honest. As for the photos, we're keeping them. We will never show them to anyone on one condition, you leave Velvet and other Faunus alone on campus. I don't care what you do in your private life outside school, but the bullying stops today." Yang grabbed him by the scruff of his collar. "Have I made myself clear?"

Cardin didn't back down, seemingly a lot more headstrong than the couple thought. As Yang let the silence in the room unsettle the situation, there was sparks being thrown between herself and the warrior. She understood what the hate Blake talks about looks like, the true hate from the indifference the Faunus have been struggling with her entire life. Cardin let out a low affirmative under his breath, coupled with his body's language was enough to suffice the three. Blake released Cardin and the three left the room.

The usually soft-voiced Faunus was the first to break the comfortable silence. "So, I guess I see why you were so adamant on including me, Blake."

"It was Yang's idea, but it hurts watching you get all the brunt of the impact when I'm able to conceal it," Her ears giving a twitch under the bow as she confided with Velvet. "I'm sorry that I never rose to your side before all this. It feels like I was betraying our people."

"No, don't feel bad. If I were in your shoes, I probably would have done the same. Think any Faunus would try and hide who they are these days just to go down to the store and not get stares. I wish more humans were like you, Yang. Not very many would actually fight our battles," Velvet endearingly said.

"Comes with the territory when you're dating one. The first of many battles I'll be fighting with my girlfriend," Yang rubbing Blake's arm brashly, giving a heavy peck through the dark locks. Blake nudged the blonde's stomach, embarrassed to have such flirtatious actions displayed in front of Velvet.

The rabbit Faunus departed, a little more pep in her step as she headed to her room. As the two were getting closer to their own room, the feeling of victory was hit them, hands running freely as they teased one another with the rush of their triumph. Yang pushed open the door, slightly disappointed that Ruby and Weiss were on the bed, textbooks open, and notes strewn across the spread. Expecting such an intrusion, the couple toned down their loving actions, not wanting to sicken Ruby with Yang being so salacious.

The two stood in the middle of the room, violet irises meeting amber as unspoken words of fondness and gratitude were exchanged. "You really stepped up today. More than I could have imagined from a human. You have a really big heart, Yang. Almost as big as your..."

"My breasts. I've heard that one before," Yang interrupted.

"I was actually going to say your eyes, but sure, I guess both could work," Blake coyly purred, brushing the blonde bangs from the eyes she adored so much. Yang felt a tightness in her chest, a blissful feeling that an experienced lover like her thought wouldn't occur, but the Faunus was having a new deeper effect. "It was always looming in the back of my mind when we started dating, scared that the challenge would be too great, but I'm glad I put my trust in you."

"I told you. If part of being in a relationship with you is to retaliate against prejudiced jerks like Cardin, then I don't see the negatives from your perspective. I'm always on your side, Blake, even if we occasionally disagree with how the situation should be dealt with."

A thin smile formed around the Faunus' face with Yang's response. "If you're copacetic about it, then I think this will work. Besides... I'm crazy about you too. Think I might want to keep you around."

Amber eyes half-lidded as Blake's gaze was having more of an arousing effect, not on her libido, but her heart. Yang opened her mouth, attempting to say anything, only letting a few bursts of air escape as she was at a loss for words. The blush grew on her cheeks as she was vexed to find anything meaningful to convey to her girlfriend. Blake immediately caught on, surprised at her lover stumbling over her charm for once.

The Faunus couldn't resist. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

As if jokes were her native dialect, Yang got out, "mo-more like Faunus has m-my heart."

The exchange had them both in a flustered mess, a red tint growing on Blake's face at the sincerity of Yang's dopey admittance. Nervous giggles that were impossible to stifle had the Faunus place her hand over her mouth, Yang never been so satisfied with being so amateur in her game.

A shrill voice came behind her, Yang forgetting that they weren't alone in the room during their amusement. "Can you girls please do that elsewhere? Even I'm finding your back and forth more nauseating than usual."

Yang was one that when poked, will poke back and with vengeance. She turned to face her verbal aggressor, the scowl as annoyed as ever. "Weiss, I'm about one neck nuzzling, a few sweet nothings, and a lengthy kiss from kicking both of you out and having sex on your bed till it breaks. If you give us some privacy, you can avoid going mattress shopping tomorrow. Your move, Ice Queen."

Yang knew she struck a chord, a disdainful breath of air came out before she was silenced by the hand of Ruby. "No, Weiss. I want to sleep in our bed tonight, and honestly every night. Just let this one go." Ruby directed her attention to Yang. "You'll be quiet, well quiet-ish, over there, agreed?"

"Yeah. Thanks Sis," Yang taking Blake by the hand, feeling the fatigue of running around all day as their bodies flopped on the sheets. The Faunus curled up to Yang, taking in her scent as she cradled herself into the blonde. Yang turned over, her back towards the other two, trying to keep the conversation between them.

"You weren't really going to kick them out. I saw that look in your eye," Blake stripping Yang of her tough veneer.

The blonde loudly whispered back. "Yeah, I know, but they are absolutely getting kicked out tomorrow at noon. We'll order some pizza and stay in bed all day. I can't hold it back for you anymore. I can't describe it, but something about all this sort of redefined what I think about you, what I think about love."

"How so?"

"Love is more than just seeing the person for everything they are and embracing it. It's also seeing what they see in you, improving what they value about you everyday and fixing the parts they don't. You value me like no other, Blake. I just hope that one day you see the same as me."

"I already do," Blake said, untying her bow, cat ears fluttering as she kissed Yang. The blonde pushed Blake back as she started to feel hot.

"I gave Ruby my word. We'll be nice tonight so we can be naughty tomorrow," A rascally grin spread across both of their faces, their drives hitting their limit with Yang's injury putting her out of commission. It was too early to fall asleep, the two choosing to cuddle as they were overhearing Weiss and Ruby interact, Yang feeling relief as she could hear the love between her sister and the heiress bleed through their flouting comments. The blonde wrapped her arms around Blake, securing the Faunus in her loving embrace as they were getting drunk with lust from their eyes. "_This one might just be the one. I'm not going to let you go, Blake._"


	13. Ruby: Scythe and Sword

Getting the pleasantries out of the way quick. Thank you guys again for many new follows and favs. Probably will reach over 400 but wouldn't mind hitting 420 (just blaze) just for the joke's sake. Like promised, a White Rose chapter and a more balanced focus of each couple and person. For those who took the time to read this, please leave in the review if you like the new way I'm dividing up the chapters. I liked giving each character their own chapters at first, but when I was writing these next few batches of chapters I found that it was important to change focus and see different perspectives. In general it will flip between the two people in a relationship, so half Ruby/half Weiss with this one. Again thank you for reading hit that follow/fav and check out Bakki as he will have some White Rose love in the future.

Ruby: Scythe and Sword

A warm spring day was in full effect around the Town of Vale. Although the rising temperatures were making it apparent that summer was right around the corner, Ruby and Weiss still had plenty of school before they could feel the freedom of their first year complete. The Beacon campus was beautiful, the couple taking in the breathtaking landscape by studying outside, but that wasn't the only reason.

Since Weiss had saved Ruby from The White Fang, the relationship had taken a far more physical turn for the better, at least in Ruby's mind. She couldn't speak for her girlfriend, but she was sure having fun as they were figuring out how to make out. Ruby found Weiss' dominance in their sessions nice, but finding it hard to regain control once she had lost it. The leader knew it was both to blame the gratifying sensations of the love making itself and releasing of the heiress' pent up emotions that were making her submissive, Ruby only wanting to return the favor. Still, even Weiss knew their grades would slip if their gallivanting around the dorm room when Yang and Blake weren't present would cause them to lose their class rankings. Ruby suggested they spend their time in public, neither of them ready for such display of affection, forcing them to concentrate.

The leader found her idea to be working quite nicely as the two were speeding through some of Vale's more boring history, the subject, that if left in their dorm room would only have them buried in their faces instead of their textbooks. Weiss was dictating lines from the book that Ruby was jotting down as quickly as she could in her notebook. The couple found a loving and effective way of going about this as Weiss was resting her head on her girlfriend's lap as the leader was propped up against a tree.

"Grape me," Weiss commanded. Ruby sifted through the fruit platter her girlfriend had bought, plucking a morsel and feeding it to her. "I think that about does it, unless you want to look for the random minutia questions that Professor Port likes to throw in there to shake my A plus down to an A."

Ruby was finishing writing down Weiss' last bullet point as she responded. "No. I'm kind of out of it. I'm thinking about calling it a day unless you think we should do more."

"We'll see, but right now, we deserve a break. Hand me the canisters. I'll pour us some more tea," Weiss requested, Ruby grabbing the bottle and handing it over. The browning-gold liquid pouring into the tall glass was making her salivate. It did make her feel guilty, though. Ruby didn't know if this was the power of money or Weiss' imagination, but she was treated to so many things by her girlfriend and lavishly taken out on dates she was able to plan. Ruby, who is used to controlling a team, felt that her skills were useless when in a relationship with the heiress.

Ruby took her glass and several large gulps to satisfy her thirst. She hated admitting it, but money could buy better tea. A small blow to her pride knowing that Weiss was able to procure this. "Ruby, is something the matter?"

The leader was brought out of her trance, not realizing she was depressingly staring at her empty glass as she was mulling over the situation in her mind. "No-nothing. What brought that about?"

"For starters, you were silently staring at your finished glass as if you were trying to tell it it's son died in battle, and you normally pour a pound of sugar into your tea before even taking a sip from it, let alone drink the whole thing," Weiss pointed out. The leader didn't know whether to be impressed or concerned at the over-examination by her girlfriend. She averted her gaze, not knowing if to come clean about her role in the relationship being too childish of a concern, leaning towards dismissing it to not rattle the smooth sailing it has been since the hostage situation.

Weiss' slender hand grasped onto Ruby's, the leader forcing herself to look into her girlfriend's concerned face. "Girlfriend talk, is there anything bothering you? You've been out of sync when it's just the two of us."

Ruby knew she couldn't lie to Weiss, not for any reason. "It's just that... I don't feel like I'm making an effort in the events that happen in our relationship?"

Weiss' eyebrow raised from the curious answer. "What do you mean, Ruby? We're together, like literally almost all the time. You're certainly present whenever I need you."

"It's not about the actual of me being here. It's more of I feel that I haven't put any input into what we do. You decide so much and I go along with it because I love the things I do with you. Like today, for example, you thought of and bought the food, used your expensive stash of tea to keep us cool, and supplied the blanket we're using to sit on. All I did was pick the location. I just want that opportunity every once in awhile to be so selfless and plan something for you," Ruby confided.

Weiss looked offended as Ruby explained her predicament, the leader almost ready to take everything back until the heiress beat her to it. "Thank you for being honest with me." The short-haired girl was confounded that Weiss would have such a positive reaction to her complaints. "I know I can be a little, for a lack of a better term, bossy at times. The sickening realization that I'm turning into my father is grotesque. Ruby, never feel that you don't have a voice here. We're a team in multiple ways and if there's anything that we can crossover from being partners is that we need to let the other take charge every once in awhile."

Ruby thought herself a fool to not see the connections of being on a team with Weiss and being a girlfriend to her, knowing how easily they fluidly exchange their position to fit the situation is one aspect that makes them great partners. "So, what does that mean for us?"

"Ruby, I want you to come up with the next date. We're free next weekend and I don't see a reason we can't enjoy ourselves with a full day of fun. I know I can be controlling and need to get snapped out of the routine before it snowballs," Weiss confessed. Ruby leaned over and gave a generous peck on the heiress' lips. "I'm sure that is a very enthusiastic yes?"

"You bet. You won't be disappointed."

"I'm sure to be impressed. You're getting better at this everyday. Don't think I didn't notice you finishing your showers quicker so I have more hot water to finish washing my hair," the heiress said, running through the short locks of her partner, twisting the red tips before letting go. "Maybe you can spare one extra minute in there. Your hair is greasier than usual," Weiss commented, Ruby unsure if her girlfriend noticed the backhanded nature of the remark.

Not wanting to dampen the lighted mood with more studying, Weiss decided to study a different day, the glorious spring day semi-wasted by not enjoying its splendor. They headed towards Vale's downtown for some window shopping and a full meal outside the school. Ruby couldn't help but be sidetracked as the two walked around together as she never had planned something to this scale. Most of Ruby's attempts were small. A rose placed on the nightstand for when Weiss wakes up, memorization of her girlfriend's favorite teas and how she likes them, washing their sheets so Weiss doesn't have to.

Ruby twisted the snowflake necklace around in her fingers as she thought, the crimson-clad rose necklace that hung around Weiss' neck glistening when the sun's rays would hit it. "_The only real grand gesture of my affection was this necklace that I ironically wear now. I so love that she wears my symbol, but again it was her idea that supersedes mine because it's better. I have no clue what I'm going to do for Weiss, but it's going to be better than this necklace. It has to be._"

* * *

><p>The end of the week was upon her and Ruby was not a step closer to figuring out what her and Weiss were going to do. She would find herself sketching plans like battle strategies on paper when class was getting boring, the pressure of wanting to impress Weiss the drive of her anxiety. School and training was enough to keep her preoccupied temporarily until the weekend was only a day away. For once, she was glad she was the only one was in the room, giving her some quiet so her brain could think.<p>

Ruby had her face buried in her pillow, smashing her face whenever she half-baked an idea and deemed it too unworthy for the heiress. "_I know. I can take her out to the restaurant she likes... oh, who am I kidding. That has to be a five-star restaurant. I've only passed by it once, but I know there were valets and formal wear. I don't even have a dress for the occasion. Maybe music._" Ruby brought out her scroll, searching the internet for Weiss' favorite artists. The leader's heart sank with the prices for some of the tickets, even the 'nosebleed' sections were rather pricey. "_Everything she likes is expensive. No surprise there, I guess. I know there's cheaper ways to impress Weiss, but I want this to be special. Since my first impressions are less than spectacular, I would like this to break the cycle and my first date that I plan not end up in some sort of disaster. Maybe it's time to take a loan from the bank of Pyrrha. Hopefully she can get me out of this jam with a few hundred Lien for a job._"

As Ruby was accepting her monetary defeat, the room door opened. The leader peaked out from her tent-like bunk to see Yang alone. Ruby couldn't help but notice the lack of Faunus. "Hey Yang. Where's Blake?"

The blonde was surprised to see she wasn't entering an empty room. "Hey Ruby. Blake went to go hang out with Velvet. She said something about giving the Faunus some courage. She said I didn't need to be there, so I came back."

"Oh, that's nice. It's weird seeing you without her. She's almost like your shadow," Ruby joked, Yang smirking back at the jest. The leader jumped off the bed, ready to head across the hall.

"Where are you going?" Yang asked.

"I'm going to see if Pyrrha is in. I need some Lien for a date and she was more than willing to help last time." As Ruby reached for the doorknob, she felt a pull on the hood of her cloak.

"Ruby, you can't be putting yourself in debt for every little thing you do for Weiss. She told me how much you spent on that necklace. If that was anyone else other than Pyrrha, you would be working for them in a far more unscrupulous fashion," Yang lectured.

Ruby turned, her cloak still in her sister's grasp. "But, Yang. I want this to go well. Everything Weiss likes seems to cost money, a lot of it."

"I know you're new to this whole dating scene, but not every date has to bankrupt you. I know it's embarrassing talking about this stuff with your big sister, but I could help you out with this," Yang offered. Ruby didn't like consulting anything romantic with her sister, the teasing from the conversation being too much for the young leader. However, the initial feeling in her gut subsided as she looked into her sister's face. There was no wicked smile that was hiding the many ways she would be ribbing Ruby. For once, she thought she was being seen as not just a little sister, the feeling of being thought of as an equal restored confidence in the blonde's intentions.

"OK, Yang, but what do I do? I don't think I can do the stuff you do with Blake. Weiss has built a refined taste because of her upbringing. How would I even go about getting around that?" Ruby questioned.

Yang let go of the cloak, motioning Ruby to her bunk beds. She brought out a mysterious case, the one that Ruby ignored because it didn't have snacks. As Yang popped up the locks, Ruby saw the treasure trove of alcohol that lined the insides. It wasn't a lot, but the blonde seemed to keep a few bottles for whenever Blake and her would drink around campus. Out of the many hard liquors, there was two fancy bottles, both darkened and the lettering in cursive.

"I can't be drinking this."

"Don't say anything until you try it." Yang uncorked the bottle, handing it off to her sister. "Some of this and some fancy cheese on the rooftops will do the trick with your girlfriend." Ruby inhaled the scent, the smell more pleasant that she thought it would be. It was fruity and heavy with spice, the aroma tickling her olfactory sense pleasantly. With no glass at hand, she pressed the bottle to her lips, taking the smallest of swigs. At first it wasn't terrible, until the taste of alcohol that hid behind the nice essence had the leader gag. She cupped her mouth and ran into the bathroom, scraping her tongue and rinsing thoroughly with water.

When she came back into the room, Yang had a cookie in her hand, Ruby inhaling it to get rid of the aftertaste. "I don't suppose I can ask you to suck it up and drink it?"

"Not even a little. If I try that, I'll be making a face the entire time. Weiss will pick up that I'm forcing myself to drink it instantly." Ruby took a seat on Blake's bed, head in her hands as she was continuing to talk. "I want this to be memorable and not in the disastrous kind of way."

Yang took a seat next to Ruby, offering her own wisdom. "I know you want to be the best for Weiss, but what makes a date memorable isn't anything material."

"But you take Blake out to restaurants, out to comedy clubs, even an Achieve Men concert. How are those not material?" Ruby countered.

"I'm not saying those aren't fun. They were great and I would do them all over again, but you want to know the best date I've had with Blake?" Ruby's ears intently listened as to what could be better than the time Yang was able to get the autograph of the author of '_Ninjas of Love_'. "She took me out one day to sit and watch a Faunus rally. It was me, her, and a couple cups of coffee sitting on a bench on a cool spring morning. Blake didn't participate for obvious reasons, but she wanted me to see a glimpse of what she was forced to do as a child, to see first hand the struggle of her people. I saw Faunus of every animal attribute, dog ears, lizard hands, whiskers, the list goes on. She brought me out of my world and into hers because she wanted me to see how she came to be and what matters to her most. I learned so much that day about her and hope to one day soon repay her with something that close to my heart. Find something that matters most to you, Ruby. Let Weiss learn about it, about you."

It didn't take long for Ruby to figure out what her favorite thing is in this world. The idea of sharing it with someone hadn't even occurred to her. A twinkle appeared in her eye, a fire ignited in her with the perfect idea. "I got it. Thank you, Yang!" Ruby fiercely hugging her sister with excitement she could barely contain.

"Do you need me to go buy some ingredients for whatever cookie you and her bake? Please tell me I need to go buy you cute aprons and chefs hats," Yang offered, a joking tone accompanying the statement. Ruby knew deep down the teasing would occur, but did pocket that idea for later.

"No, Yang. I actually have something I want to share with Weiss that's better than cookies."

*-Weiss-*

The white-haired girl was more than pleased with the impressive start Ruby had on the day of their date. The leader bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, fetching Weiss her breakfast and pressing her battle skirt. She wasn't expecting to be this doted upon, and honestly didn't like the feeling of her girlfriend beckoning to her will, but if this was Ruby's way to start off the date, she was going to keep her mouth shut for her sake.

Weiss sat on the bed, spooning her oatmeal as Ruby was giving a rundown of what she had to do before the date. "I know I should probably be making the food, but I barely can make a microwave meal let alone cook something special for you."

"I'm not going to blame you for focusing your attention elsewhere when you were growing up. At two you said?" Weiss reminding herself within a question.

"Yeah. Meet me in training room for our double date," Ruby happily announced, Weiss almost choking from her double-take at the statement.

"Dou-double date. So it's going to be us and who else?" Weiss inquired.

Ruby jumped off the bed, a broad smile that irritated the heiress as she stood so pleased with her idea. "You'll find out. It's someone very close to me." The short-haired girl placed a small kiss on Weiss' forehead, bolting out the room before the ice princess could further interrogate the matter. Even if the cheeriness of Ruby was getting on her nerves, she did have to admit the thoughtfulness of it all was endearing.

The back of her mind, though, was rattling with the thought of a double date, Weiss taking the logical guess of the person close to Ruby would be Yang with special guest star Blake as her plus one. "_I don't know why I'm getting all worked up about this. It's not like we all don't eat together on a regular basis. I guess the idea of going as couples instead as a team could change dynamics. Ruby is, for the most part, very professional when we're out in the field, the occasional peck or two given from a job well done. I'm also partially guilty of sneaking a kiss as sometimes I just can't help myself. It's when we're just by ourselves, off the clock, are we actually very intimate. I guess Ruby's tired of us having to hide from Yang all the time, her breaking out of her comfort zone so we can have a less awkward time as a couple. If she's taking that step, I'll take it with her._"

Weiss spent the rest of the time prepping herself, anticipating the blonde's teasing with some quick quips of her own to counter. With Ruby already having ironed her skirt and jacket, Weiss was able to take her time on gussying up, looking more prim and proper for Ruby's date.

As two rolled around, Weiss headed towards the training area, methodically running through her own scenarios in her head. "_If Yang asks anything about the physical part, always comeback with we are far more sly than she imagines. Alright, I think I got it down. It is peculiar, though. Why would we be having our date in the training room? I wouldn't put it past Ruby to say a friendly sparing match between couples is romantic, maybe trying to prove herself to her sister in some way. It's a shame, though. We are wasting a day indoors._"

Weiss opened the heavy doors to the training room, the large arena heavily darkened by the dark interiors, the luminescent white lights the lined it giving away the shapes to the place. Weiss found it awkwardly empty as she could hear her own footsteps echoing in the circular room as she walked towards the center ring. She saw her little red partner, frantically waving the heiress towards her. "On time as always. At least I can count on you being prompt."

"I do take pride in my arrival. Then again, being later than Yang and Blake to any appointment is an achievement," Weiss snappily said.

Ruby was confused as to what her comment was asked, "How do you mean? Course you would beat them, they aren't showing up today."

"So they canceled?" the heiress followed up.

"They were not the ones that were invited," Ruby answered, Weiss completely perplexed as to who could be more important than her sister.

"Then whom?" Weiss inquired. As the heiress asked the question, she realized she might have seen the answer. To her partner's side, cheekily hidden behind a picnic basket, was Crescent Rose folded up. Ruby brought out the slim metallic casing, covered by the length of her cloak, that housed her weapon. The leader popped the case and revealed Myrtenaster, solidifying Weiss' gut feeling, hurting as the dreadful realization was setting in.

"I brought Crescent Rose and Myrtenaster to join us. I wanted us to learn about each other's weapons, even how to properly wield them."

Hearing Ruby's sincerity in her response made the feeling all the more sickening. Weiss was having trouble swallowing the idea, her brain shutting down as the concept of having a date with her girlfriend and their weapons too absurd for her to handle. She noticed Ruby's mouth moving, but the only sound in her head was her conscious reminding her to not scream, '_Is this a joke?_'

"...and after that, I'd say we worked up an appetite enough to eat and..."

"Let me just stop you there, Ruby. I was in a hurry and didn't use the restroom. I'll be right back," Weiss lied, praising her ability to come up with an excuse so quick. She tried her best not to storm out of the room, keeping her pace as cool as possible until the double doors closed behind her. She leaned up against the wall, pinching the bridge of her nose so hard she was causing pain.

"_At least I have some other feeling than rage. That dolt. She was completely serious in there. We're essentially going to have a tea party with our imaginary friends. If I go in there and sit down, I may actually lose respect for myself, feeling like such an idiot as I ask Crescent Rose how her day was. Forget it. I know this is Ruby's first time making a date, but there is no way I'm going to be able to get through with it without my true sentiments coming out, hurting Ruby even more that it was all some sort of facade. I'll even take..._"

The heiress felt a large thud on shoulder, breaking her from her thoughts to see the blonde brawler with a huge smirk and a brown bag in hand, the couple coming back from the convenient store with their new inventory of snacks. "You don't look like someone who's on a date with all the sulking you're doing."

Weiss, already in a bad mood, snapped back at Yang. "You would be in a bad mood too if Blake took you on the worst date ever."

"Worst date?" Yang inquired.

"Your sister invited me to a double date, thinking that it would be you two. Instead I get a scythe and a sword as the other couple. I give your sister a chance to take me out, for once, and she comes up with this ridiculous plan."

"Did you listen to anything my sister said or are you just that cold?" Yang sternly said, the usual bubbly expression turned into a deathly stare.

Weiss didn't falter, firing back with her own ire. "I might have missed a few words, but it still doesn't negate that I'm on a date with my weapon."

Yang looked as if she were to reach out and touch Weiss in a very hard and painful fashion until Blake grabbed onto the blonde's shoulder. The brawler gazed back and saw Blake shaking her head, eliciting Yang to calm down. She took a deep breath, relaxing herself before speaking. "Weiss, there is a far more deeper meaning to what's going on here, so please listen to what I'm about to say." With the blonde's flipped expression, the heiress could tell how serious her grievance could be. "Ruby has always had a fascination with weapons. Ever since Uncle Qrow was able to teach her the basics, that's all that preoccupied her time when she went to Signal. It worried me as I watched her, day in and day out, in the workshop modifying Crescent Rose. It's this obsession that forced me to have her make friends when she came here. She didn't have many friends growing up, her first question to almost anybody was what their weapon was, driving most away with her overzealous inquiry. It even hurts me to say, sometimes I felt that she loved that weapon more than me. Crescent Rose was her best friend until she met you. That scythe means a lot to her and she wants you to get to know what it is."

Weiss sat there, feeling smaller with each word spoken. It was the first time meeting Ruby all over again. When the heiress saw how short-sighted she was being, seeing only the base of the situation, not even attempting to see what Ruby was trying to get at made her feel terrible. She slumped her head in disappointment, knowing if the blonde miracle hadn't intervened she might have ruined what Ruby had planned. She covered her mouth with her hand, a small murmur of her response barely audible. "I... I hadn't thought about it."

"I hope that this is easy decision for you, Weiss. You will deeply hurt my sister if you don't go back in there and don't count on Blake being around to extinguish my fury if you don't," Yang said, briskly walking away with her snacks.

With Weiss still staring at her feet, Blake quickly whispered as Yang was out of earshot. "I'll still be around to protect you, but it'd dampen the mood if you couldn't do this for Ruby. I'm sure she tries a lot to be a part of your affluent world. I think this is the least you could do for her."

Weiss rose her head with the Faunus' wise words, watching Blake catch up to be Yang's shadow as they made their way back to the dorm. The heiress knew they were both right. With her planning the dates, Ruby had to adjust accordingly to what she liked to do and none of them had half the thought or meaning Ruby had put into now. Weiss didn't know how well this might go, but she owed it to her girlfriend to give this a try.

The heiress sat around as long as she could contemplating before Ruby would come searching for her. Weiss took a deep breath, centering herself as she entered the training area again. Ruby unfazed about the length of time her girlfriend was gone as she was polishing Crescent Rose.

"Alright, let's get started," Ruby giving a few flashy spins of her scythe as she handed the less-deadly side of her weapon over to Weiss. The heiress placed her hands awkwardly on the end, taking a firm grasp only to drop it with a large metallic thud as Ruby let go. Weiss wasn't to be made a fool of by Crescent Rose, heaving the large weapon, finding a more steady grip as she moved her hands up the shaft. Weiss couldn't believe how awkwardly this weighed when it was outstretched.

"_She's expecting me to be able to maneuver this thing?_" Weiss hotly thought.

"You're going to want to maybe choke up a little more on your grip," Ruby advised, noticing how the heiress' stance was completely off.

Weiss readjusted her hands, placing one on the trigger, but unclear as to where Ruby wanted the other, picking some arbitrary spot on the sniper scythe. "Like this?"

"No," Ruby politely denied, a small levity in her response as she snickered at Weiss' form. The young leader walked behind her girlfriend, taking the back of her hands, placing them proper and gripping tightly. Ruby's feet pushed apart Weiss' for a more balanced stance. Before the heiress knew it, she was holding Crescent Rose with ease.

Ruby took a more hands on approach, her voice having a lustful tone as she talked in Weiss' ear. "Now that you have a good stance. I think it's time to learn the basics. First, the horizontal slash."

With Ruby's direction, Weiss' body flowed with hers, the simple attack she was still finding difficulty with. It wasn't a physical problem, the leader picking up a lot of the ice princess' slack as she was still getting used to the weapon, but rather a body contact one. Weiss didn't know if Ruby was aware her chest was pressing hard up against her back or her gentle voice whispering instructions in the heiress' ear. Weiss found it fortunate that Ruby was behind her, her cheeks slightly tinted with her partner being so unintentionally seductive.

Weiss attempted to distract her mind from the lewdness with some humor. "If you were a guy, I would have to say you were overcompensating for something with the proportion of Crescent Rose" The couple coming down with a vertical strike.

Ruby laughed at Weiss' comment. "It was never meant to be so big, but as I kept working on it and my fighting style, the more ideas of what could be if I extended it just a few inches more or opting for a sniper instead of assault rifle modification. Crescent Rose is the culmination of my growth as a huntress."

"You certainly have grown. Even in the year's time we've known each other, you had to change your style to fit me. I think it might be time for a new mod," Weiss offered.

"Yeah. I was actually thinking of designing a white stripe to go down it, but I didn't want us to become that couple. We already wear our emblems around our necks. I'm going to let go. I want you to do three horizontal attacks, two vertical, then jump and stick the landing. Ready?" Ruby asked.

Weiss nodded her head. Ruby let go on the count of three and she took the lessons to heart. With more grace in her steps it looked more competent than she thought she could muster, each swing a little sluggish, but she wasn't meant to master Crescent Rose. After her performance was finished, she could hear Ruby clapping, a smug smirk spreading at her own accomplishment. "That was really good, Weiss. You certainly weren't lying about being a quick learner."

"It's just a few of the basics. Don't expect me to pull off what you do ever. About the new design, you don't have to do it. The thought of it is flattering enough."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," Ruby happily pronounced, returning to the back of her original position, her chest seemingly pressing harder than before on the heiress' back.

"Alright, now we are going to learn some defensive techniques. This is mainly for melee, but could also deflect the stray bullet if you're lucky," Ruby told.

Weiss couldn't help, but taunt the leader, her own body becoming too warm for comfort. "Can it deflect your breasts from pressing so hard against my body. You're halfway to smothering me in this position."

Ruby was caught off guard by Weiss' comment, bolting off her girlfriend as she was called out for something so underhanded. "Weiss, I-I swear I wasn't try-trying to pull anything. I mean, it's nice doing it with you in bed, but I only had the date in mind."

Weiss was confused, so confident that she was catching Ruby taking advantage of the situation she created. With the stammering, gray eyes averting, and hands fidgeting, the heiress knew Ruby was being as innocent as possible, Yang's words holding a higher insight as she saw her girlfriend's purest intentions. Weiss saw an opportunity, though. She could easily turn the tables on the situation, take control of the date with a little persistent flirting. She knew what Ruby's unconscious was thinking and a little prodding in that direction would get her out of this date, but she didn't want to. She didn't want to admit it yet, but she was having a lot of fun learning about Crescent Rose, about Ruby.

Weiss walked with confidence towards her girlfriend, the leader unsure of the heiress' next actions, but fearing the worst with her scythe in her hands, the blade looking sharper with each step taken. The ice princess turned into her girlfriend, back forming to Ruby's front. She took one of her partner's hands and placed it on the back of hers, Weiss pressing up gently to get her message across. "You said you have some defensive techniques. I hope you won't be this uncooperative when I teach you Myrtenaster."

With their bodies so close, the heiress could feel the sigh of relief as Ruby's chest depressed. The leader, with restored awareness, went back into position. Weiss internally laughed, realizing how little her girlfriend actually defends as she's always on the offensive, her glyphs playing a lot the defensive role in battle. Practicing with Ruby was almost like a dance, their bodies moving to the rhythm of the leader's pace, the heiress synchronously following the flow of her girlfriend's tactics.

Weiss missed the melee portion of the date as Ruby transformed Crescent Rose into the high caliber sniper. Weiss, being a huntress in training, was fine with guns, the incredibly loud sounds they create and even the smell of gunpowder, but she did have one confession. "I think I ought to mention this before we start, Ruby."

"What's that?" the short-haired girl asked, handing over the weapon. Crescent Rose in this new form feeling heavier as Weiss held it.

"I've never shot a gun before," Weiss confided, the leader's gray eyes popping at the admittance of information.

"I... um... wow. This might be a little too strong for you then. I just assumed, being a huntress, that you were familiar with them at least. Now that I think about it, Myrtenaster doesn't have classic gun capabilities, you use your semblance for that," Ruby sheepishly said.

Weiss already came this far on the date. The foreign concept of gun battle did frighten her, but she knew her girlfriend to be an expert and wouldn't let a tragedy happen. She didn't know how to stand, but she placed her hand on the exterior handle and one next to the trigger. "I'll take your word that it's probably too much for me, but I'm willing to give it a try, if you are."

Ruby's mood changed hearing the earnest request from Weiss. "Alright, we're going to do three positions. Standing up, my own personal favorite hip firing, and then we'll go prone." Weiss abides, Ruby setting her stance "You're going to want to have the rifle here, between the pocket of your shoulder and your breast, your face lightly against the stock and lean into the gun."

Ruby had set up a metal target at the end of the area. Weiss could barely see it, but it looked to be the side profile of a Beowolf. "Now that your feet are planted, I want you to line up your shot, inhale and hold it, then pull the trigger."

Weiss heard everything Ruby said, but could feel herself shaking with the immense power in her hands. The idea of a controlled explosion propelling metal and dust towards a target all of a sudden terrifying. She took her own deep breaths before the final one, teasing the trigger until the hammer clicked. She let out a hard shriek as the recoil hit her shoulder hard, the unforeseen brunt of the impact knocking the heiress to the floor.

Ruby immediately slid to her side. "Oh my goodness? Weiss, are you going to be alright?"

"Ow," Weiss touching the area as she was analyzing how much it hurt. "Of course I'll be fine, you dolt. Do you seriously need that much power within your gun? I was expecting a lot, but not this much kickback."

"Well... no, but sometimes yes. When I was modeling the gun, I wanted a rifle caliber that could travel far. A bullet is faster than my semblance and sometimes that is needed. It certainly would have saved my mother," Ruby explained.

Weiss had rarely heard her girlfriend mention her mother. She deduced from the absence and aversion of familial talk that something grim happened to Ruby's mother. Whatever it was, it's also part of what drives her to be a huntress. She never delved into it for personal reasons, but with Ruby sharing this kind of information willingly made the heiress curious. She didn't know how her prodding could be taken, but she did want to know more about Ruby. "What... what happened to your mother?"

Weiss immediately regret asking as she felt her girlfriend get tense, the atmosphere uncomfortable as the silence trailed longer. "Umm... Weiss," Ruby eyes looking as if they would tear up at any moment as she addressed the heiress. "If-if it's alright with you, can... can we not go into that right now."

That's all Weiss needed to hear. She outstretched her hand, cupping the leader's face. "Yeah. I won't bring it up."

The heiress lightly stroked the round cheek, the action bringing a small smile to her girlfriend's face. "I want to tell you, Weiss. I want to share my life with you, but I can barely talk about it let alone articulate it to others."

"Don't feel bad, Ruby. I've got some things I'm not willing to bring up either, but until then, the most I want you to share with me is hip firing and prone." Weiss dusted herself off and picked up Crescent Rose again. "Get behind me. I may be anticipating that recoil, but I'd rather have a nice buffer to catch me too."

Ruby didn't need to be told twice and aligned herself with the heiress, Weiss not admitting the other reason of enjoying Ruby's body against her. After a few misfires, she was starting to feel the adrenaline of firing a gun, almost reasoning of adding an attachment to Myrtenaster so she could feel this kind of rush in battle. By the end of the session, Weiss was not about to earn the marksman award in any degree, her only successful shot being a nip on the hind leg of the beast. Still, the breadth of information learned while candidly chatting with Ruby was worth making herself look horrifically amateur.

With her time of being a beginner up, Weiss was glad to take the reigns, excited to teach Ruby the elegance of her sword. As much as the heiress was wanting to mimic Ruby's playful chest bumping, she didn't have the bust for it. However, it seemed the physical flirting wasn't needed, the leader's enthusiasm in learning how to wield Myrtenaster enough to satisfy the experience. As Weiss was teaching the proper defense of riposte, Ruby had her own questions about the weapon. "So why a rapier, Weiss? There are several types of swords, big beautiful broad swords, bastard swords, and falchions. What made you choose something so fancy?"

"I wish I had a wistful answer with how I'm a robust and elegant person so it was a perfect fit, but the real story is far more depressing. When I was learning to fight, my father said that if I couldn't properly handle a weapon in his armory, he wouldn't pay for the lessons. I had hundreds to choose from, but because I was so weak, I could barely hold some of them with two hands let alone one. The light weight and balanced forging of rapiers was perfect. I memorized a quick tutorial online, my performance was good enough that he got me a personal trainer. When I started getting serious about my huntress training, incorporating dust was the logical choice, balancing out my style with my semblance."

Ruby, taking in all the story, lost her footing, forcing Weiss to scold her. "Sorry. I don't think it's depressing, though. I didn't know you then, but maybe you weren't robust or elegant, but you are now. If anything you grew into your weapon. You're sharp, focused, adaptable, stylish... beautiful."

Weiss noticed her girlfriend lowering her tone with the last compliment. "_She would be able to speak so easily and freely when describing weaponry,_" she thought.

The heiress backed away, giving the leader room to show her what she's learned. "Demonstrate for me three offensive techniques. I may ask you to parry at any time. Go."

Weiss had to hold back laughter, having not seeing Ruby in a proper stance ever was enough to have her hiding a smile under her hand. "Parry." The awkward display of a precise battle style had the heiress chocking back laughter. "Pa-parry." The liveliness of her attacks graceful in their own right. Weiss wondered if Ruby was enjoying this as much as she was when she was handling Crescent Rose. "Parry."

Midway through a slash, the short-haired girl reacted, her klutziness causing her to lose to balance, falling on her face. Weiss suppressed the laughter as much as she could, sobering herself before she pulled her girlfriend off the ground. The heiress was fixing Ruby's bangs as she apologized. "Sorry. I'll do better next time."

"Next time will have to wait. I'm hungry and that's all I can teach you. You can't exactly do this." A large white glyph formed underneath them, lighting the darkened room with a brilliant glow. Weiss waved her arm, dissipating the glyph. The injury from earlier set it, the heiress wincing at the pain, Ruby reacting immediately.

"I'm so sorry. I should have told you to concentrate your aura around the area." The leader pulled down Weiss' jacket, exposing her shoulder. A dark purplish bruise formed above the breast, marking the flawless white nature of her complexion. Without warning, Ruby kissed the mark, the sudden intimate contact causing Weiss to shudder.

The heiress pulled away, fixing herself proper. "Did you seriously just try to kiss my wound better?"

Ruby didn't know how to answer, her cheeks flushed as she tried to think of something. "Yeah. You know... it's supposed to help." Weiss didn't hesitate and flicked her leader's small nose. "Ow."

"Next time, warn me when your weapon is going to have that hard of a recoil." Weiss placed her hand on Ruby's shoulder, peerless gaze softening meeting her girlfriend's. "I had a lot of fun today, despite it all," Weiss placing a kiss on Ruby's lips.

"Thanks Weiss. I can't wait. I have some aerial moves I'd like to show you."

"Glad to see you plan ahead. Now go and set up lunch, I'll clean up here," Weiss requested, Ruby moving to the next part of their date.

Weiss placed Myrtenaster in its casing, the heiress reflecting on Ruby's date. "_I will die before I ever let her know that her kissing my wound better made my heart skip a beat. It was very... cute. This whole date actually charmingly adorable in her own socially weird way. Thank you, Ruby. Thank you for letting me into your world._"


	14. Yang: From Beauty to Beast

This will be a quick note. Again, I can't thank you guys enough for reading and liking the story. Never did I believe I'd reach 400+ followers. I have gone back and fixed some of the story, do not be alarmed as it's mostly just canon stuff and the grammar mistakes I was able to catch. It doesn't warrant going back and re-reading it in any way. Also thanks for liking the last chapter. It was experimental and I'll be taking more risks like that, just like this chapter. Be sure to keep hitting fav/follow and leave a review. You guys are the best and it's really appreciated.

Yang: From Beauty to Beast

The sun was rising on the already warm summer morning in Vale. Yang was having a mixed bag of feelings as her girlfriend woke her up in the morning. Blake had convinced her to do running in the early morning in the summer to avoid the intense heat in the midday. The blonde was fine with that logic. What she wasn't fine with was that there was no coffee shops open at the crack of dawn, most stores getting ready for the morning rush. Each store they passed was just a big tease, the heavenly aroma of fresh brew wafting out of the doors, each scent richer than the last.

A bigger tease was her girlfriend. Yang, of course, was a fan of Blake's body, loving every curve, scent, and taste it creates, but she noticed that the Faunus would run faster at times, giving the blonde a glorious view of her backside. The brawler likes to clear her mind when doing training, prioritizing on honing her skills for the short time she does work out, putting the world on pause so she could focus on herself. However, with Blake's butt swaying, its taut form and firmness with each stride broke Yang's concentration, forcing her to pick up the pace.

After that incident with Cardin, everything about Blake that she loved exponentially increased. Her appreciation of her physical body, her clever and insightful mind, and the brawler's duty of wanting to protect. Cardin was a wake up call for the blonde, the cursory promise of when she first started dating Blake having a whole new meaning when both of their lives were threatened. She became more aware of the subtle mircoagressions some establishments and people had against the Faunus, each minor offense chipping away at her tolerance of the matter.

However, she had to protect the Faunus from her own good nature, Yang's wallet taking the blow of buying two coffees and muffins. The blonde took her seat, Blake's soft amber eyes concerned over the gesture. "Yang, you said you would let me pay this time."

"I lied," Yang wearing a confident smirk.

"I'm not comfortable with you paying for everything," Faunus ears straining at they were pinning down under the bow.

"I know, but it's fine with me. The loans are already taken out. I might at well spend the extra on you."

Blake took a small sip from her cup, tightly squeezing around the cardboard insulator. "I've never been treated like this before. It's sort of depressing to say, but I always expected to live within my means through Beacon and probably sometime after, but you showed up."

The Faunus flashed a tender smile as she talked so fondly of her girlfriend, Yang feeling a sense of pride in being so highly thought of. "And you've been loving every minute of it."

"Almost every minute. It's hard to forget what Cardin made us go through," Blake corrected, Yang feeling the anger of that day she received the letter as the Faunus reminded her of the incident. "The rest of the time, though, when my race isn't throwing you into battles, it has been wildly exciting to say the least."

Yang stuffed her mouth full of muffin, the cinnamon sugary treat to delectable to resist before addressing Blake. "Thanks, but don't think of me being roped into anything. I'm your girlfriend, Blake. We live together, we look after each other, and occasionally we're going to have to fight together. Just because it pertains to you doesn't make a lick of difference in how much it matters to me."

"I know. Speaking of looking after each other." Blake licked her index, reaching over to the blonde's face to lightly scrape off a breadcrumb. "If you didn't have me you would have had that on your face till we hit the showers." Blake seductively ate the morsel, flaring the many lewd ideas she had in store for the Faunus.

"For being such a good girlfriend, I think a reward in the showers is in order. How about some extensive tongue bathing from your truly?" Yang temptingly laying out future plans on the table, hoping the Faunus would take her bait, wanting to end a small dry streak.

"As great as that sounds, you know we can't kick Weiss and Ruby out. They are studying like we will after we're refreshed."

"Fine, fine. I see how it is. Make me pay for your meals then force me to study and no loving. I get the dynamics of this," Yang joked, the Faunus always ready to play along.

"You do know the only reason we're together is to pay for my food. My feigning remorse and lack of sex is so I can have that lead of control to keep you buying," Blake quipped back, the Faunus leaning in expecting a kiss. Yang was feeling mischievous and mashed the black bangs into her girlfriend's head, the frisky gaze after had Yang planning how, in graphic detail, how she was going to ravage Blake's body, knowing the Faunus was having the same carnal thoughts.

The two left the coffee shop, making their way towards Beacon. There was something about the bustling sounds of commerce that was peaceful. The casual talking of people passing by, the engines buzzing as cars making their way up the street, door chimes of customers entering or exiting was pleasant because of the bubble her and Blake create when together. Even with all this noise, they were able to concentrate on each other, the normalities of life not fazing the couple... mostly.

As they were walking past a less populated area, the Faunus' ears picked up a disturbance in an alleyway. Blake urged Yang to follow her, nudging her to survey what's happening. Down the length of building, they could see three men cornering a small girl Faunus, her brown fox ears being a giveaway.

"Come on, street urchin. I know you heard me with those stupid ears of yours. Hand over your money," one of the men said.

"We saw you panhandling. You at least have enough Lien for a burger," another said. The small Faunus stood there shaking, a tin can in hand, wearing a jacket and layers even though it's summer. The three boys surrounding her could be Yang's age. Several tattoos to each of them, two wearing caps, shirts that are over-tight showcasing their steroid-built body and shorts so long they almost shouldn't qualify as shorts with how much they sagged.

Yang didn't let another word be said. "Hey!" The trio of thugs turned their attention to the blonde. "Do none of you have a moral conscious? Leave her alone!"

The fox Faunus leaped up the building's sides, propelling herself up to a fire escape on the building. The frantic clanging of the girl rushing up the flights of stairs ringing in Yang's head as she made her escape. "The quick brown fox jumped over us."

"Must be some animal advantage she gets for being a freak."

"I'm glad that it can't be because she learned how to survive from cretins like you, but because she's different," Blake piped up, the Faunus standing next to Yang, both feeling such hatred for the three men in front of them.

The man with the spiky hair stepped forward, beady eyes staring down the couple. "Well boys, looks like we got a couple of girls that are Faunus-lovers. Did it hurt your souls seeing us mistreat that thing? You couldn't just keep your liberal mouths shut until we got what we needed?"

"If you need Lien, get a job," Yang chipped out. Every fiber in her body restrained her from knocking his teeth out, taking the other two and closing their heads on the dumpster nearby. If she was holding Blake's hand, she was sure to have fractured some bone with how hard she was clenching her fists.

"Unless that job is Anti-Faunus, the only job slot for them is cheap labor with how useless they are," he said.

Blake took Yang's arm, forcing themselves to make a steady exit from the situation. The blonde unsatisfied without at least teaching one of them a lesson. "You're really just going to walk away when I'm talking to you."

Yang heard a rustling and then felt a crushed up soda can hit her on the back of the head. This was the final straw, she turned around, eyes blood red as Yang was getting ready to have no one hear the man talk again. Like a leash, Blake pulled hard on the blonde, the Faunus with a stern look shaking her head, Yang knowing what she was trying to say. The brawler took a few deep breaths, returning her irises a normal violet. As they left, Yang found it impossible to ignore the hate-filled ignorance that was spewing from the trio's mouths, both of them gripping on each other's hands as they made it to a more safe part of town.

Yang was steaming still as her girlfriend seemed to be normalized with her emotions. "Blake, I love you and all of the time I spend with you, but if I had to highlight some of the negative aspects of the relationship, having to hold my punches as jerks are throwing garbage at us has to be top three."

"I know you don't like it, but don't assume I'm a fan of it either. Nothing would give me more satisfaction than you and I tag teaming them to the ground," Blake concurred.

"How do you do it then? You always are able to keep a cool head. Right now, it doesn't seem like you were harassed," Yang inquired.

"It's part of my training. You learn early on that emotions can harm, and I'm not talking figuratively. Having the right centered mind is key to what I do, the slightest mistake in my techniques can leave me open to a counterattack. We compartmentalize everything, ensuring that our minds are focused in the peak of battle. A simple emotion like anger or sadness can mean injury or worse," Blake explained.

Hearing Blake talk about her fighting methods was so foreign to the brawler. She lets whatever emotion she has carry her movements. If she's feeling glad, she lets the rhythm and carefree attitude of her punches do their things. If her long, luscious hair is for some reason mangled in a fight, she would unleash all of Ember Celica's shells into that individual, reload and then punish the rest.

The Faunus must have picked up on Yang's downcast expression, Blake using her free hand to direct her attention to her girlfriend. "Yang, you did really great back there. I know it's hard for you, but the fact that you're still here is reassuring. It keeps my faith afloat that humans and Faunus can get along, that everything I've been fighting for is worth the effort."

Yang felt a pain in her heart as Blake spoke so endearingly about her behavior. The truth of the matter is that she was having a hard time with abiding with the Faunus' rules. Yang was a woman of action. Having her sit from the sidelines when she should be participating in a fight felt impossible to endure. Her curbed behavior only worthwhile because of what Blake says about how her participating in every brawl only hurts the Faunus plight. She does it for her, like forcing a smile as Blake praised her for her resistance in the alley.

They continued walking towards Beacon, Yang still in a bitter mood with the alleyway bastards and her own small truths she was hiding from Blake. It didn't improve as they walked further along. As they got closer to a park, they could see a gathering of people, the lot of them carrying picket signs and some distributing fliers. Yang was confused as to what was happening with all the ruckus shouting towards a man with the megaphone. As she got a glimpse of what the signs were saying, she knew she wasn't in a place Faunus friendly.

'_They took our jobs_' and '_Keep our neighborhood pure_' were some of the many signs that were being toted angrily around the park. Yang couldn't believe what she was seeing until she heard what the megaphone was shouting. "Citizens, businessmen, and our politicians. This is not a matter of fairness, this is a matter of safety. Our liberalist agendas have given the Faunus a yard and they have taken a mile. How many of us don't feel safe when a Faunus family moves into the house next door?" The crowd roaring to the declarations of prejudice. "How many of us store owners have been robbed by The White Fang Organization? How many don't feel safe when one of these freaks are sharing the same sidewalk as us? There is a reason we kept them where they are. They are dangerous, their animal instincts making them selfish, lesser beings with no regard for a society other than theirs."

Yang felt her blood pressure rising, hearing this pool of intolerance be stirred into a frenzy by some bigot who had a hair up his ass to set this whole Anti-Faunus rally up. She wondered if any of these people actually met a Faunus, got to sit down and get to know one or were all of them sheltered and fed this propaganda since they were born. She didn't know how hard she was crushing Blake's hand, but her girlfriend tugged away, the blonde letting go as she saw the Faunus in pain.

"Sorry," she apologized.

"It's fine. I think it might be best if we don't hold hands until we're out of this celebration of hate," Blake suggested, motioning for Yang to follow her. The couple had to maneuver through the edge of the large crowd, Beacon's airship field only a hop, skip and a jump away at that point. Almost out, Yang was stopped by an overzealous individual wearing a cap and shirt depicting dog ears with a zero with a slash over it.

"Please miss, take this pamphlet and be sure to vote against any future measures to make sure the Faunus know their place," the female zealot hastily put out. Yang wanted nothing more than to punch this person in the gut, take her pamphlets, and burn them in her hands. All of the chaos around her was making her see shades of red. She controlled herself, took a small breath and replied.

"No thanks," Yang chipped out, back teeth grinding as she brushed past her. Thinking she was in the clear, it came to her surprise when the lady got in front of her again.

"You forgot your pamphlet. Take it, it's free," she handed out, the enthusiastic nature not fazed by Yang's grimace. She basically forced it into the blonde's hand, it instinctively grabbing it. She reasoned she can toss it in the nearest receptacle and walked past the protester. "Remember, Faunus are scum and will turn our city into a slum."

Yang located the black bow that adorned her girlfriend, happy to be out of that mess. She tossed the leaflet into the trash, igniting her girlfriend to react. "Yang! What are you doing?"

The blonde had no idea what her girlfriend was talking about until she saw Blake rush to the garbage can and pull out a semi-burnt brochure. The Faunus quickly mashed it to the ground, stomping on the embers till it was put out. Yang was dumbfounded, but was cognizant enough to realize what happened. She activated her semblance without realizing, the little paper catching fire and almost started a garbage can inferno.

Ashamed of what she had done, she pulled the Faunus by the arm, bustling till they were free. "I'm not going to scold you like a child, but that was actually frightening," Blake pointed out.

"I... I don't know. I didn't even realize what I did until I saw you saving the day. I'm a little angry is all. It must have discharged when I wasn't paying attention. I can't believe though that no matter what part of town we go to, there is someone there to spew out this rubbish. Seems the upper, lower and everything in between wants to get at your race," Yang reasoned through her rage.

"Yeah. The White Fang being the instigator of these mass rallies. I foresaw this when I saw the organization change, making my choice to leave easy. I hate siding with the enemy, but if all of a sudden I was being attacked by a specific militia, I'd be getting angry about it too."

"I guess. It isn't fair, Blake, but you already know that."

"Yang, the fact that you're understanding about it is enough. The only way we're ever going to change this is to get Roman and the rest of the top of The White Fang. Until then, you keep saving your punches for the ones that matter. If you were to confront that lady, you would have just wasted your breath. She's lost like the rest of them," Blake cleared up.

Yang could feel the animosity simmering in Blake, rightfully so, but it was frustrating to her now that her anger was spouting little flames from how the conflict was getting to her. Yang knew that once she got to Beacon, she would be fine and let the rest of this day blow over. It didn't end in her favor, though. When they started studying, it was about the Faunus War and even reading the history of racism was keeping her level of fury. The talk of characters past was a reminder of the caricature dummies that were in the park today.

* * *

><p>Yang woke up, morning business coming earlier than the alarm today. After some bladder relief, she reasoned she might as well wake up, washing her hands and giving herself a generous splash of cold water to her face. She rubbed out the crusts build up and dried herself off, a final look in the mirror to see if she missed anything. To her horror, she did and there was no cover up in the world to fix it.<p>

*-Blake-*

There was a scream in their bathroom, waking the rest of Team RWBY. Blake sprung to her feet, knowing the voice came from Yang. She entered the washroom, the blonde on the floor covering her face, a small whining muffled. Blake got to her knees, leveling with her girlfriend. "Yang! Yang. Tell me what's wrong. Did you hurt yourself or something?"

Yang forcefully pushed away Blake as much as she could with one hand, her face still well concealed. Ruby and Weiss came in shortly after. "Yang, stop struggling. You scared us. What's wrong?" Ruby tried reasoning, a small twang of worry in her tone.

"It's nothing. Just leave," Yang still squirmed around, making it hard for Blake to subdue her. Eventually she was able to pin her to the wall, Yang's one less hand being the best advantage to the Faunus.

"Yang, please, tell us what's wrong," Blake gingerly asked, her soft tone hoping it would communicate to her girlfriend. Yang sat defeated, her heavy ruffled breathing a giveaway she was desperately holding back tears. She slid her hand away, the Faunus confused as to what ailed her. The blonde opened her eyes, the rest of the the team gasping as she revealed one eye the normal violet and the other blood red. Blake felt sorry, knowing she forced her girlfriend to reveal something she wasn't ready to, a feeling she knows too well.

The Faunus didn't know how to comfort Yang, this disfigurement too unreal for her to process. She reached out, cupping the blonde's face examining the iris. "It's hideous," Yang whimpered out.

"It's... it's not... ugly," Blake sputtered out, unable to even concoct a lie at the moment.

"It is. You can't even fake it for me," Yang snapped back, a few sniffles following her ire filled comeback. Blake couldn't lie again, knowing she was already caught, any more words a possibility of setting her girlfriend off again. "Can I be alone, right now? There's only one exit. You can catch me if I leave. I want to see if I can fix this."

"But Yang, maybe we can..." Weiss piped up.

"Out! The three of you," Yang commanded, Blake seeing she's shouting out of fear, not anger. The Faunus saw her only option, her girlfriend clearly defining what she wanted at the moment. She didn't want to leave Yang's side, but with her only a door panel away was going to have to be enough. Blake nodded, taking the other team members with her, securely closing the door behind her, the lock following soon after.

A small, uncomfortable huddling of Team RWBY without their Y took place, neither of them sure what happened or what to do next. "Was it like that before you two went to sleep?" Ruby whispered.

"No. Everything was fine. She was grumbling about the off day, but I told her that tomorrow will be better. I didn't think it would backfire," Blake explained, bewildered like the rest.

"That's disappointing with nothing to go off of. I hate admitting this, but her red eye is slightly more terrifying without the other."

"I heard that, Weiss. Can you keep your whispering down to a dull roar?" muffled angst coming from behind the door.

Even the ice princess had a heart, her usual quick tongue feeling sympathetic to the situation. "I feel that we should do something, but ironically I think it might be best if we do nothing. What do you girls think?"

"We can do something, even if it's not going to fix it. I think I'll stay here," Blake offered. "You girls don't have the responsibility I have."

"Actually, maybe Ruby and I can go get something to cheer her up. It gives her the privacy she wants and hopefully when she cools down will be more receptive to others," Weiss proposed.

The idea put Ruby is a more positive mood. "Yeah. I have a place to go for any of Yang's gifts."

"Good thinking, Weiss. If you girls really want to shower, go across the hall to Team JNPR and give them heads up too. Yang probably doesn't want people to know, but I'd rather Nora not feel her wrath if a comment slips," Blake concurred.

"Alright. Weiss, Blake, and their fearless leader Ruby on a mission to cheer Yang up. Banzai!" came from a very hushed Ruby.

Weiss rolled her eyes, Blake heartened by her leader's buoyant attitude. "At least this mission has more weight than us decorating our room," Weiss hotly responded, pushing the girl to their dressers and out the door.

Blake took to sitting on her bed, promising to be there if Yang left the bathroom. The Faunus used her scroll to surf the internet, hoping there would be a symptom of a disease that a medical professional could diagnose her with. At least then they would have a direction to go, but many pages later proved no real result unless Yang popped a blood vessel in her iris.

Blake tossed her scroll on the bed, taking to reading a book to pass the time. Letting herself get lost in the literary expertise of her novel was harder than she thought as the occasional grunt and frustrated curse that came from the bathroom. Her Faunus ears pinned down with each loud commotion, her determination dwindling as she heard her girlfriend suffer. "_I feel so useless right now. Like watching an animal thrash in its cage, it's unfair. I wish this was like a world of magic. A flick of the wrist and a few simple words would have her back to normal, but life isn't that easy and am going to have to use the scientific method on this. The question is why. Why is Yang's eye permanently the same color it is when her semblance activates? She activates it freely when she's furious, but what could be making her furious at the moment?_"

While pondering the method, she heard a muffled cry in the bathroom. "Blake."

The Faunus jumped off the bed, almost flash-stepping to the door as Yang called her name. "Yeah, Yang. What do you need?"

"Can you get me my aviators from my desk? They should be next to Bumblebee's keys in my top drawer," the blonde requested. Blake didn't like where this was heading. She got Yang's shades, the bathroom door barely cracking as the Faunus handed over the item. A second later, her girlfriend stepped out, the large frames covering much of her face. She moved over to her dressers, shedding off her nightwear.

"Going somewhere?" Blake timidly inquired.

"Going to get fitted for some contacts. It's temporary, but at least it will look normal," Yang monotonously said, snapping her bra and picking out her panties.

"Yang, you shouldn't be jumping to rash conclusions. Who knows, it might clear up in a few days."

"It also could not. Even if it did, it could also come back," Yang hastily putting on her black shorts and yellow singlet.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No thanks. Hopefully the only person I scare today is the optometrist," Yang said, grabbing her jacket as she was heading out the door. Blake rushed to her girlfriend's side, unsure of her reaction, but knew Yang was taking this too hard.

"It's not that bad. You'll get used it it. We'll all get used to it. It just looks bad now because it's different," the Faunus argued, hoping her words would be enough.

Yang spun around, forcefully pulling off her shades, Blake's eyes popping to the sight again. The lovely pair of irises she loved were nonexistent with the red one overshadowing the other with its intimidation, a small fire brewing in the lens. "I want you to tell me with a straight face that this doesn't scare you."

Blake was too honest to Yang, opening her mouth only for her to retract what she was about to assert. She didn't want to say it, let alone admit it to herself, but she was scared of Yang, scared of her well-being as she sat from the sidelines. She couldn't look her girlfriend in the eyes anymore, diverting her attention to anything else as she disappointed the blonde.

"That's what I thought. I'll be back soon," Yang storming out, leaving Blake overcome with guilt.

She rooted herself in place to obey her girlfriend's wishes. In the silence of the room, Blake's stomach was easily heard. She looked at the clock, it almost noon as she was heading out the door. In the cafeteria, she sat alone, not really in the mood to talk to anyone or read a book as she was eating a lobster and cheese sandwich, the crustacean losing its savory sensation with what was on her mind.

"_It was hard to watch Yang walk out that door with such a lackluster attempt at getting ready. Her hair unkempt, throwing on her clothes not even taking the time to make sure it's pressed, and that eye. I don't love Yang because of her beauty. It's a bonus, but I like her beauty because she likes her beauty. She takes such an effort to look as good as she does, even taking the time to make her mane have that disheveled look because she thinks it's sexy. Seeing her so angry, in such pain, it hurts me knowing that I must sit here and watch her slowly burn..._"

"Hey, Blake," the Faunus broken out of her thoughts to see the redhead from across the hall, high ponytail in usual fashion, green eyes showing concern.

"Hey, Pyrrha. How's it going?"

"That's nice of you to ask, but I'd rather know how you're feeling first," the warrior said, taking a seat next to the Faunus.

"Useless is the first term that comes to mind. I've never been a part of something where anything I do doesn't remotely fix what's at hand. It's more of a wait and see at the moment. We want it to clear up, but at this point we'll take her calming down so we can talk," Blake's sinking feeling hitting her gut.

"Well, I know this isn't much, but when Ruby and Weiss told us what's up, Jaune and I went out and got something. I know it's horribly cliche, but a large box of her favorite chocolates wouldn't be the worst idea," Pyrrha said, handing over a big square box, dark chocolate filled with caramel.

"Thanks. I hope she'll appreciate it. Can we... can we not bring it up anymore. It's been about six hours of this problem swirling in my head. I'm going to burnout if I don't take a break."

"Sure, Blake. Whatever is on your mind."

"Anything new happening with you? New great developments with you and Jaune. I know you went on that commercial shoot," Blake offered.

As the Faunus mentioned the commercial, the redhead was stifling a small laugh. "Jeez I probably shouldn't even tell you this. Jaune might kill me."

"What did the blonde boy wonder do now?" Blake asked, Jaune's gawkiness in almost all aspects of the relationship is a breeding ground of good stories for the girls to gossip over.

"So, while I was gone that week doing my panels and shooting the commercial. I came back a little early from my trip and I catch Jaune with his pants around his knees, scroll in front of his face clearly..."Pyrrha lowering her head, whispering the next word, "masturbating." Blake's cheeks reddened, laughing at the embarrassment of the boy. "He almost fooled me, reflexes getting better as he was able to get underneath the covers. I was a little mad, but he actually said something that made sense to me, claiming he was relieving the pressure. I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't..."

The light bulb clicked, Blake's mind connecting the dots to a possible hypothesis, the only one that made sense. Yang wasn't mad at anything. It was pent up fury from not being able to release it when she was out with Blake. She didn't want to be rude, but she text Yang as Pyrrha was talking. "_Come back to the dorm as soon as possible. Please, do this for me._"

Blake returned to her friend's dialogue, coming into the last bit of it. "...and I don't know what to be less comfortable with, him doing it to me or to some girl on the internet."

"Honestly, I think the creepiest option would be if it's someone you both know, so don't give it a second thought. Side note, I would be a little disturbed if Yang was flicking her bean to me. That's just me."

"I think that might be everyone," Pyrrha agreed, Blake partially paying attention to the rest of the conversation, waiting impatiently for Yang's response.

* * *

><p>"Blake, where are you taking me?" Yang asked, the Faunus telling by her tone how annoyed she was.<p>

"Just a bit further," she replied. Blake brushing a few branches out of her way.

"_This is not one of my better ideas, but this might be the answer. I need Yang to release her semblance, just unleash all the anger I've been forcing her to keep in from when we're pestered in public. What's going to be tricky is that I want her to do it unconsciously, a genuine venting session. She is able to cause mass destruction all the time. Breaking a couple plates on the floor and yelling to the sky is not going to be the authentic reaction that will fix this. The Emerald Forest might not be the best option for an all out fire fight, but I think they'd call Ozpin if we did this in the training area._"

Blake found an optimal clearing, the foliage healthy and green with a large dirt patch, knowing that it was a long shot that a spark wouldn't start a small fire. She stopped and stared her girlfriend in the face, even behind the aviators she could tell how much she was not enjoying this. Blake's heart rushed as she knew she was about to play with fire, needing to get burned. "Can you take off your glasses?" she said authoritatively.

"You serious?"

"Yes."

Yang took a huge sigh, folding the shades into her breast pocket. Blake wasn't as frightened as before, staring back at her fiery gaze, determined to make it better. The Faunus knew the hot button issue and was going to mash it. "You ready to be an adult about this?"

"I am being an adult. I went down and ordered some contacts after I almost gave the doctor a heart attack."

"No. I mean about the idea in general. I don't think you realize how foolish you look wearing those things indoors."

"Oh, I'm sorry that it isn't as fashionable accessory as a bow. People are afraid of this," Yang yelled while pointing at her eye. "If it shaded the white parts then, I'd look no different than a Grimm.,"

"And you think your contacts are going to make it better? You do know that you have to take them out at night and every morning you'll still be the same," Blake raising her voice to match.

"I don't care. This is how I'm handing it and if you don't have an out for this then I'm heading back," Yang bellowed, giving her ultimatum.

Blake froze, not taking into account that Yang would run from the argument. "Fine... I umm... You could always..."

Yang rolled her eyes and huffed her way back to Beacon. The Faunus panicked, her window of opportunity closing as the blonde was fed up with the situation. As she was marching back, the beautiful blonde mane bounced up and down, Blake seeing her way back in. She ran up, reaching as far up the scalp she could and yanked without restraint. Yang screamed and cursed as she was writhing, her long hair being her down fall as Blake was out of her reach. With all the action that was happening, the Faunus was forced off her girlfriend. Yang stood in dumbfounded disbelief as Blake stood with a dozen blonde strands between her fingers. The Faunus knew she had her, letting the hairs fall to the ground.

"You..." Yang breathed out. Her semblance kicked in as the other eye turned red. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but I'm about to rip it out!" she vehemently shouted. Blake was pleased with the result, but regretted that decision as she saw the flames rise. Yang was mad is an understatement. She was on a whole knew level and the Faunus didn't know how well she'd fair.

"_Love is a foolish thing when it's asking me to poke a dragon,_"she thought, grounding herself in position awaiting punishment. Yang blazed towards Blake, fists as hot as they were heavy, each blow from the blonde like being hit from a truck. The Faunus' original plan was to tire her our, let the fire run its course without having to fight back. With each thunderous hit from Yang, Blake knew her aura was going to be depleted. She didn't want to, but she countered the brawler.

Her fist collided with Yang's torso, the punch barely showing an effect as her girlfriend kept raging. She didn't take it well, the fire growing bigger and hotter. The heat was becoming an issue, Blake's aura slowly draining combating the intensity, trying her best to dodge her girlfriend's swings instead of blocking them. Using the thickets and branches as cover had their clothes snag and rip, her idea backfiring as Yang was getting more heated not being able to hit the Faunus. Blake was loosing her nerve as the blonde was putting on the pressure, her footing shaking her, having Yang place her first direct hit.

The Faunus fell to the ground, putting herself out as her vest caught fire, the tails singed leaving a harsh smell. Blake felt her heart jump into her throat, anticipating the next injury could be more serious. She leaped to her feet, Yang already making her next attack. Blake blocked each, the fear slowing down her movements.

The Faunus didn't want to go all out, but she released her semblance, two copies of her attacking Yang relentlessly on all sides. Blake gained the upper hand, her punches adding up as the brawler was tossed on the floor, the dirt putting out some of the flames. Watching the fire be put out gave Blake an idea. Wanting to put an end to this fight soon, and no other options springing up, she carved an idea as best she could. As Yang stood up, she saw the effects of the battle. Their skin dirtied, clothes ripped or burnt, the taste of blood in her mouth. Blake was at her limit and her girlfriend wasn't fairing any better, the rage inside driving her.

Yang rushed her, the Faunus' ribbons already loosened. As the blonde closed the distance, Blake released her semblance, tying both ends to the wrists of her girlfriend. With the multiple Faunus appearing and disappearing, Blake used this advantage to wrap the straps around and around Yang, incapacitating her. With the brawler flogging about on the ground, the Faunus took her for a spin. She rolled Yang around the ground, the dirt putting out the fire, but also quickly burning away the ribbons.

A violent spasm of coughing came from behind her, Blake flipping her attitude as she saw her girlfriend extinguished and clutching her throat. The Faunus rushed to her side, rubbing her girlfriend's back as a few dust clouds popped out. "Yang! Do you need me to get some water?"

"No," she eked out before another expulsion. "I'm fine-ish." Blake brought Yang's face closer to her, brushing the tear streaks from her cheeks as the Faunus tended to her girlfriend. As the blonde owlishly opened her eyes, beyond the teary surface, Blake gazed upon the lovely violet orbs that she's grown to love, her expression lighting up at the success of her plan.

"Yang. Yang! You're eyes! They're back."

Yang placed her hand over her eye, as if she could tell by touching it that the color changed. She looked back to the Faunus, gaze pleading that Blake was telling the truth. "Re-really? No more red?"

"Yeah. You're normal again," Blake's endearing smile giving Yang the signal she wanted, a grin spreading across her face as she embraced her girlfriend. "I'm sorry that I pulled your hair. It was a desperate act to get you to release your semblance."

"Thanks for apologizing, but I feel that I should be thanking you. You know better than to pull my hair outside the bedroom."

Blake sighed deep, not proud of what she was about to confess. "I think it was me that caused this. I noticed it when you were squeezing my hand too hard yesterday and the fact you hadn't noticed your semblance discharged on the pamphlet. You've been holding back all the anger that I told you that you couldn't unleash because of what I've been telling you. My hypothesis being that if you hold it in too long that it creates a permanent effect. For you, it's detrimental and needs to get out. I'm sorry, Yang."

The blonde pushed back from the hug, violet eyes sparkling as they beamed at Blake. "Don't feel bad. I didn't know that this could happen. Granted this happened because I'm with you, but I don't think anyone else would have handled me the way you did. Who knows, if it persisted that I could have seriously injured myself."

The Faunus' smile weakened, her girlfriend's optimism the only reason her mood wasn't dipping from her self-blame. "But as I was thinking about it, you sacrifice so much for me. Your body, your health, your clothes," Blake teased, tugging at Yang's ripped jacket, it revealing her bra and yellow tee. "The destruction of The White Fang and giving the rights my people deserve are important to me, and I know this is selfish to say, but you mean a lot more. You didn't run when times got tough last time. I'm not going to abandon you because of the occasional outburst from a racist gets a deserved punch from you. It may not look good on the plight, but if it keeps you healthy and happy, then it's worth the liability. If you're committed, then I'm committed to."

Yang gently pressed her lips against Blake's. "Yeah. I'm staying," the blonde reaffirming her devotion to the Faunus. "And you can't say you didn't sacrifice now. I roughed you up pretty good. Can't have my little Blake looking so shabby." Yang stuck out her tongue, giving her thumb a gentle lick, and proceeding to rub some dirt off Blake's cheek. The demeaning behavior meant for children she let slide, so relieved that her girlfriend was in her playful spirits.

Blake brought Yang to her feet, the two doing their best to dust each other off before they gave up, the effort too much for their hands and a showered required. As they headed, back, Yang reached over to hold Blake's hand, restoring the confidence in their relationship. "I'll adjust the tactics more. Maybe one out of every four jerks you're allowed to hit."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I wouldn't mind doing this with you every so often," Yang said trying to keep to Blake's original plan.

"I wouldn't either, but look at us. I was even able to shred your bra and I've seen the price of your cup size. I don't have the Lien to keep paying for that," the Faunus humorously added. "Remind me to order one first thing when we get back. I don't think I'll get through our morning runs without a nosebleed if they have their full bounce."

Blake placed her hand over her mouth at the suggestive confession, Yang having an epiphany at the leaked disclosure. "So that's why you run ahead of me. Oh Blake, your mind is always running into the gutter when you're staring at me."

"Please, you get a great view at my butt as it happens. You probably hang back so you can keep looking at it," Blake jested back.

"That I do," Yang kissing the Faunus between her bow.

Yang's happiness was infectious, the Faunus letting out a heartfelt laugh. She looked up at the blonde, eyes sparkling, radiating the felicity of the endgame. "_Leave it to this beauty to be so levelheaded after it all. You mean so much to me, Yang. I'll adjust anything to keep you around because it's the times like these that are worth it._"


	15. Weiss: The First Fall of the Snow Angel

Going to make this quick because I want to bust out the fancy vodka for my martini as I celebrate 450 followers. Thank you guys for the continued support. It's surreal when I open the inbox and see an outpouring of love. Be sure to be on a lookout for both a one-shot and another pic by my artist Bakki featuring the lovely Bumblebee in the coming holidays. Till then, here's some more White Rose love. Be sure to hit that follow/fav and see you next time.

Weiss: The First Fall of the Snow Angel

"Ruby, go get the flashcards again. We need to make sure we have the nesting patterns of Grimm down. Those are easy points that we can't afford to miss," Weiss ordered, her frantic scanning through her textbooks having the leader worried.

Ruby remembered they were on her desk, reaching over and handing over the flashcards, Weiss snatching them out of her hands and running through them as she was mumbling the answers. Her methods so manic that she wasn't even giving herself time to applaud her correct answers. "Weiss, can we talk?"

"No time for that. Not when we have daylight to burn and three chapters to review."

"Again?"

"Yes, again. I'm sure I made it clear before," Weiss snapped back, Ruby's expression concerning the heiress in her peripherals.

"No more, Weiss," The leader placed her hand over the flash cards, the snow-haired girl ready to shake off Ruby. "I want you to know that we've reviewed this material three times. I heard you in the shower today rattling of terms like they were dust properties. I honestly don't think we've left the room, Yang being kind enough and bringing us food the past day."

"What's your point?" Weiss snapped back.

"Girlfriend talk. I'm worried about you. You're psyching yourself out on this, overworking yourself on something you already know."

"Ruby, this is the exam before the final. This is the last hurdle that defines what I can get as a final grade in the class. I will not be cheated out of an A for an A- because I got a B+ on this test," Weiss sharply explained, the leader not backing down scooting closer to the heiress.

"I can see all the gears in your head running at full speed and that's behind the veiny redness of your eyes. You're going to burnout and you're going to get that B+ regardless," Ruby pleaded to her girlfriend, hoping she would listen to reason. Weiss simmered down, the silver eyes imploring her to make the right decision. For Weiss, the only real decision was to study, but her girlfriend isn't one to derail the session for selfish reasons. "This isn't that conversation where I'm going to try and convince you that your perfectionist ideals are killing you. You're brilliant, Weiss. You're certainly one of the smartest people I know. What you don't lack is knowledge, it's confidence. I know you know this. You need to start believing it yourself."

Weiss' instinct was to brush Ruby off and get back to her flashcards. She took her girlfriend's word to heart, the heiress deducing that the only reason Ruby would bring this up is because of a haggard appearance and her nervous idiosyncrasies. She let out a sigh, thinking her partner may be onto something. "Then... what do you suppose we do?"

"I would suggest some fresh air, but I don't think you would want others to see you the way you look now," Ruby reaching out, fixing Weiss' bangs so they were out of her face, the heiress not liking the comment, but wasn't going to argue if there was a thread of truth to it.

"To be honest, I wouldn't mind resting for a bit. Join me if you want," Weiss proposed, Ruby not needing a second invitation to spend some quality time lounging about on the bed. The leader cracked the window, letting out the stuffy air and welcoming a cool summer breeze. Ruby seemed more excited than Weiss to be taking a break, already propping herself up with extra pillows from her bed. With some privacy, the heiress didn't see anything wrong cozying up underneath Ruby's shoulder, the firm area being more pleasant than a pillow. Being so close, Weiss was able to detect the hint of her vanilla shampoo again, her urge to scold quelled with Ruby being so nurturing. She instead lowered her head closer to Ruby's heart, the soft rhythmic beat silencing her overly compulsive thoughts.

Ruby brought out her scroll, upholding the device with her knees. Weiss hated admitting it, but it's embarrassing how fast moods can swing when watching baby animals be dumb, her partner viewing a bunch on the internet. The watching of anything non-academic was numbing, but refreshing to the heiress, laughing freely with Ruby as another puppy tumbled down a set of stairs. Throughout it all, Ruby had her arm around Weiss' shoulder, cradling the ice princess as her fingers fiddled around with her white tresses, her mind fighting to keep herself from initiating anything intimate.

"_The fact that it's this easy for her to calm me down is testament to how well we are starting to get this whole coupling business. This is incredibly relaxing. I might just fall asleep. I kind of want to. It'll prevent me from getting distracted from anything further than cuddling. I know we should still review a small portion of the last chapter, as Professor Port didn't get through it with his insistent rambling. Stop it, Weiss. Come back to what Ruby created._"

Weiss soothed her mind again, giving the leader a peck on the cheek, then returning to her original position. "Thank you, Ruby. I really appreciate what you do for me."

"Likewise, Weiss," Ruby replied, chastely smooching the heiress' forehead, the tender act having the ice princess curl closer to her girlfriend. Content with the circumstances, it surprised the white-haired girl to be lifted up by her chin, Ruby's stormy eyes brewing something sensual in them. The leader gently placed her lips on the heiress', Weiss kissing back instinctively. She almost let herself get lost, her conviction to stay in a proper frame of mind pushed Ruby back before she started hitting the right buttons.

"Ruby..." Weiss's lungs deprived of oxygen taking a deep breath before continuing. "I don't want to get distracted from studying later. Can we put a rain check on this?"

"Weiss, the reason I'm doing this is to help you relax. I was never intending for you to go back to those books," Ruby quietly spoke, the heiress listening intently to her girlfriend's words. "It hurts to watch you stress needlessly. Take this day off with me. Enjoy the fruits of your labor a little early."

Her face turned a bright red, her heart skipping a beat at both Ruby's proposal and the fear that her flirting may have become more masterful. Still, she considered the offer. "_She may have a point. I do feel that I overdo it at times, wondering if some of the time before Beacon could have been making more friends. Then again, I didn't have someone like Ruby, someone to catch me as my stubborn ego was spiraling me into loneliness._"

The ice princess lazily wrapped her forearms around her partner, wordlessly giving her answer as she pulled Ruby closer to her. The leader purposefully missed her lips, pecking Weiss' collarbone causing her to gasp from the sensitive touch. She trailed her mouth upwards, not missing a spot as she reached Weiss' mouth, the heiress craving Ruby's taste. She opened her mouth, the leader not hesitating as she entered, teasing Weiss' tongue until she invaded hers. Ruby placed Weiss' hand on her collar, helping her pull it down, slowly exposing the supple skin of her girlfriend. She returned the favor, the heiress kissed the clavicle, eliciting a small moan from her partner.

The heiress didn't want this to end, Ruby's idea working as she was blissfully unaware of the real world, but they recalled they have roommates with a reminder on their scrolls. Still keeping her word to her girlfriend, she didn't ask about the exam anymore. After they made themselves respectable, they went back to innocently watching videos, both feeling a breath of relief as the other two came in none the wiser.

Weiss let Ruby sleep in her bed tonight, rewarding her girlfriend with her own kindness by offering to cuddle, hoping Yang wouldn't make a big deal out of it. In her lowest voice, the heiress whispered, "this was fun." Ruby responded by nipping the nape of her neck, the ticklishness causing Weiss to hold back glee.

* * *

><p>Weiss took the exam and felt like she owned it with how quickly she was able to run through it. So self-assured with her perfection that she was riding a high that benefit Ruby, the heiress returning her good-natured guidance into a more loving and physical form. Weiss was already riding the high from the exam, the added satisfaction of new territory she was treading with her girlfriend brought out pleasurable sighs of gratification that rose her ego to dangerous levels. Weiss felt free from the shackles of the tyranny of education, a weight lifted from her mind that had been stifling these good vibes.<p>

The snow-haired woman sat in Professor Port's class the next day, waiting for the big-bellied professor to stop blathering on about how they all should be studying harder, this lecture clearly not pertaining to her. His massive size was making his way up and down the idles, some of his gut pressing against the long tables as he was passing back the tests. "Now, I know I'm sounding very harsh, but this material will be on the final. I would hate to see you guys next quarter because of a small hiccup on Grimm migration patterns." The large teacher handed over Weiss' exam.

The proud smile she adorned sunk until her face looked like it was melting. With jaw dropped and eyes wide, she couldn't believe the amount of red marks on her paper let alone the score in the top right corner.

"T_wenty... twenty-seven percent,_" her mind barely able to comprehend the score. Weiss' hands trembled, trying her best to keep it together.

"Drat," a small grumble came from her left, Weiss glancing over to see Ruby pouting at her test.

"What did you get?" Weiss secretly asking to see if the leader's score was as bad as hers.

Ruby turned her test to the heiress, her expression not warranting the objection. "I got an eighty-eight." Weiss felt a lump in her throat, realizing as she was looking at her other teammates results that she was the only one who didn't do well, but drastically failed.

"How about you, Weiss?" Ruby asked, not picking up on the beads of sweat forming on her face.

'You-you know, A as usual," Weiss lied, barely shaking out her response.

She covertly placed the exam in her backpack, stuffing it deep making sure that no one could accidentally see it. As the class went on, Weiss was absent, her mind focusing on nothing but the bleeding marks on her paper, the denial setting in. "_I can't... I can't believe I failed. I've never failed at anything. I've never even been average at anything. I sped through that test, my pencil smoking with how fast I was racing through the multiple choice. This F spells the end of my impressive road to be valedictorian. I get a C in this class and either Ren, Pyrrha or Ruby will take up that candidacy. I did my time, spending many hours going over the material. Did I not think enough? Were their misdirections in the questions? Maybe, but not enough to plummet my grade to that level._"

A small tapping of lead to table came from Ruby. The heiress noticed the bored and carefree attitude her girlfriend had as she doodled on a paper. Her fist clenched her pen, the fragile plastic cracking in her grip, her denial focusing on the reason she failed. "_You did this. You made me fail, Ruby Rose._"

The bell rang, Weiss throwing her books in her pack and storming out of the classroom, the farther away from Ruby the better. As if the universe was trying to torture her, her leader caught up, wondering why she left class without even speaking. 'Hey, I thought we had lunch plans. The cafeteria is the other way."

Weiss' scowl was more ferocious that usual, her added harsh tone making for a very threatening warning. "Change of plans. Go by yourself. I'm going back to the room and don't follow me."

Weiss roughly brushed past Ruby, shoving the the leader as she stormed down the hall. In a flash, the short-haired girl was in front of her, Weiss cursing her semblance was extreme speed. Ruby raised her hand, hesitant in touching the heiress for comfort. "Is anything bothering you?" she tepidly asked

"It's your..." Weiss stopped herself before she was about to give Ruby the tongue-lashing of a lifetime. Every sign in her mind way pointing at her girlfriend being the scapegoat to her failure, but her pride and sheer embarrassment of her lamentable score was preventing her from vocalizing her abhorrent misstep. "I will not repeat myself. I want to be alone today."

Weiss swiftly went around, her hopes that her last statement conveyed how upset she was without explicitly stating it. She felt a soft hand on her shoulder, her instinct to throw off her girlfriend. Now furious, she turned attention back to Ruby, gray eyes scared. "Leave me alone! How do I get it through to you, you dunce, that I don't want you around me? Are you deaf? Do you not understand simple commands? Do I have to break it down further for you or am I clear?"

The hooded-girl nodded her head, almost snapping her neck with the rapid pace. Weiss was satisfied with the nonverbal response and went back to fuming. The heiress was in such a rage that she wasn't even aware of the state she left her girlfriend, not caring how she felt because she had been betrayed by her benevolence.

*-Ruby-*

Ruby stood prettified as she watched the white silhouette of her girlfriend disappear down the hall, resisting the urge to run after her. Anguish set in as fluid built in her eyes. Ruby is used to being yelled at, Uncle Qrow nice, but very serious when it came to training and the occasional time she misbehaved. She was familiar with the sting of disappointing a loved one, but this was the first time Weiss made her feel that recognizable heartache. She had never been talked down to, though, feeling herself shrink as Weiss berated her with each sentence.

The leader wiped the tears with her sleeve, not wanting passing students to see her cry, unaware that her posture and expression showcased how she felt. She did as she was ordered and walked away, her destination the cafeteria. Her back slouched, head hung low as Weiss' words echoed in her mind, a few tweaking her the right way causing more water to build up. She shuffled into line and got her food, glad to be alone like her partner.

Ruby nibbled on her lunch, depressed with the current situation. "_What did I do? I've seen Weiss mad or annoyed with some of my antics, but I've never seen her blow up like that. It makes the first time we met look like nothing in comparison. It bothers me that I don't know what brought this on. Did I fix her coffee wrong this morning or was I kicking her too much while I was sleeping? Could she be fed up with me using her shampoo? No... those are too small for her to explode like that. Something happened, but what?_" The leader sniffling up mucus as she kept replaying the memory. "_Stop it, Ruby. You don't want to cause a scene._"

Ruby was playing with her peas, arranging them into a W as a stranger sat next to her. "Hey Ruby."

She glanced over to see Blake, a warm smile that was more than welcoming to her dismal disposition. "Hi Blake. Where's Yang?"

"She says it's a secret, which can mean a multitude of things, but time has proven that's it's usually a gift, gag or sentimental," Blake rationalized, Ruby's thoughts on par with the Faunus' reasoning.

"Sounds like it. It's weird seeing you two apart."

"I could say the same about you and Weiss. Where's she?" Blake innocently asked.

The Faunus hit a soft spot, Ruby wincing at the sound of her name. She knew she wasn't welcomed, but she figured Blake ought to not walk into a landmine. "Back in the room. I wouldn't go in there anytime soon."

"So, she is mad. I knew I saw something off after class ended. Any particular reason this time or she just looking for an excuse to fight again?" Blake joked.

Ruby was put in an impasse. On one hand, she wanted to work this out herself, but Blake was a wealth of experience, possibly guiding her in this situation. Even without Yang, she felt at least one knowledgeable person is better than none. "She's... she's mad at me."

Ruby's gloomy tone signaled the Faunus to explore deeper. "What happened?"

"I don't know... All of a sudden Weiss started yelling at me and telling me to go away. It's not what she said, but ho-how she said it," Ruby tearing up again. "Whatever I did, it must have been horrible. I'd do anything to ma-make it right."

The Faunus placed her hand on Ruby's back, attempting to sooth the young leader as best she could. "Hey hey hey. Lets not do this here, Ruby. We'll take our food to go and find someplace private to talk about this. Sound good?" Blake's eyes were the opposite of her girlfriend's, so friendly and caring that Ruby jumped at the opportunity to leave. The Faunus and her walked causally out of the cafeteria, everyone none the wiser to Ruby's state.

They made their way to the leader's favorite place, the Beacon Garden, a place she hadn't needed to visit because her and Weiss' relationship had blossomed into something stable and beautiful. Ruby took a few sniffs of the roses in front of her, the tranquil scent unwinding her brain as she was talking with Blake, recounting her emotions as she was being reprimanded. "I actually felt my heart hurt, like a physical squeezing on it when she finished. Some of it was out of fear, both out of not knowing why I was being yelled at and the intensity of it all, the other out of seeing Weiss so upset. I know I'm used her her scowl, but it's was different this time. Like I failed to be a good girlfriend."

Ruby felt the comforting hand of the Faunus, her body instinctively leaning into it. "Ruby, I do want to say that you are handling this well. Better than I would have handled it with Yang."

"You two fight? But I never see you two ever unhappy, except the time Yang revealed your taste of literature to the rest of us by decorating your bed with the more... racy covers," Ruby pointed out, the Faunus rolling her eyes at the remembrance of the memory.

"To be clear, I wasn't upset you girls found out, rather than she knows I like to keep my covers in pristine condition. We've fought, though, like every couple. The difference here is that I yell back which is always my impulse to match her tone. You did good by just listening this time, yelling never really was my best course of action. When two people are screaming at each other, it's surprisingly harder to hear them," Blake explained, the leader sitting an absorbing the wisdom.

"Then how does it get resolved?"

"We talk or talk really loud sometimes, but fights aren't resolved by ignoring it or buying a gift."

"But I can't even get a dialogue going. I'm terrified of going back to the room, afraid she might bite my head off again," Ruby pointed out.

"Well, time to cool off is needed, but there's no reason that you can't quicken the process. She has to see you tonight unless she fled and is in a hotel somewhere in Vale," Blake replied.

"How?"

"Use your head, Ruby. You are just as creative as your sister when solving problems. I've never seen Weiss as happy after your last date and that didn't come from Yang and I."

The encouraging words from Blake did have Ruby thinking. The Faunus was right, so far no one has spoon fed her on being a girlfriend. With some guidance from Yang, and now Blake, she's been able to figure out how to be in a relationship. "_Could I ask Blake and Yang for the answer to this? Maybe, but this is my fight. They don't know Weiss like I do, so it may not be the best of actions. I need to lure her out of that room. I shouldn't make her feel like she's cornered and forced to talk to me. I can't send her a text, too impersonal and she could easily ignore it no matter how many emoticons and 'I'm sorries' I litter it with. It needs to be a better hook._"

Blake sat there in support as Ruby silently scanned the garden, hoping for anything to trigger the miracle she needed to help her out. She examined over to the far side of the garden, in the corner was a yellow rose bush and the idea snowballed after that until it hit a rut. No matter how fast she was, she couldn't hover a rose in the window and be at the fountain. She needed a hand, or rather a Faunus. Blake's ribbons that she used so effectively lethal in battle were going to be used in a far more delicate function.

"Blake. I have an idea, but I need your help," Ruby requested, turning on her puppy-dog eyes that worked easily on the Faunus.

"Sure, Ruby. Earning favor with my girlfriend's little sister is always a good thing," Blake humorously added, the short-haired girl upbeat that the support from the Faunus extended past being a teammate and leader.

Ruby sat up, offering her hand to Blake as the inspiration was surging through her. "Never think that you need to earn any more favor with me. The fact that you make my sister as happy as you do is enough, but this will put you over the top. Help me pick a few flowers out of that yellow rose bush. I'll join you after I get a red one."

The two split up, Ruby rushing to the lovely sea of red buds searching for a big one. "_I won't be picky like I was before. Time is of the essence. I really don't want to have to sleep in Team JNPR's room. Whatever I did, I'll figure it out. Even if I can't solve it tonight, I can work on it over time. Please don't shut me out, Weiss._"

*-Weiss-*

The heiress laid on her bed, arm covering her eyes acting as a sleeping mask, wishing she could wake up from this nightmare. Her cheeks were red from pinching them and she splashed enough water in her face to have her accept that this was reality and her score was not some boogeyman trying to antagonize her. In her stewing of anger, came the polar opposite as she was wallowing in her depression. She was no longer targeting her girlfriend with such animosity. Ruby was such a distant thought at this point that all she could see is black, literally and figuratively

"_What do I even tell mother and father when they see me graduate and I get no special amendments or honors. This one grade plummeting me into the abysmal pit of average. I hope there's some sort of fighting aspect award. Maybe then I could still shine and be proud. Even if it's some sort of ribbon or medal that I can hang somewhere I'll count it at this point, even if it's bronze,_" Weiss' eyes tearing, her dark delusion overtaking her as she listlessly let water form in her eyes. She opened her pack, grasping the exam, slowly bringing it to focus. The blood-red twenty-seven percent was still there, tears staining her pillow. "_It happened. I failed._"

From the window came a small ringing, Weiss' state of mind ignoring the sound at first. The second time it rang harder, heeding to the odd sound. She struggled to get out of bed, the despair bleeding out her energy. She brushed back the velvet drapes, greeted by the unwanted sun. As her eyes focused, a single buttercup rose was dangling in her view by a black strap. Around the stem was an envelope, crudely wrapped together by cheap tape, '_Open Me_' written on the outside.

"_That's not right. Ruby usually leaves me red roses._" The peculiarity of it all had the heiress' attention. She untied the envelope. As soon as it was free, the black ribbon receded back to the top of the castle. Weiss wanted to call out and address whomever was scheming this, but she focused on what she acquired.

She went to her desk and ripped the top with a letter opener, a single sheet of paper inside along with something adding weight. The letter didn't take long to read, only ten words written on the parchment. "_I want to talk. Meet me at the fountain. – Ruby_".

Weiss was confused with the plainness of it all, wondering if the letter was as simple as it seemed. She turned the envelope upside down, the heiress' heart shaking as the snowflake necklace that her girlfriend wears with pride fell in her palm. Weiss feared the worst, not knowing how to take any of this delivery of information. She spun her own rose pendent between her fingers as she stared at the snowflake. She didn't need to be told twice, some energy returning as she was rejuvenated with the uneasiness of the situation.

By the fountain, she spotted the red cloak waving in the gentle breeze, her partner sitting on the rim. The sound of Weiss' loafers had Ruby turn her head, the heiress not understanding the soft smile with such an ambiguous letter. She presented Weiss with a makeshift bouquet of yellow roses, a red one in the middle making it look like a yellow-frosted cupcake with a cherry on top.

"I'm sorry," the leader spoke, Weiss even more perplexed at what was happening. "I don't know what I did to make you upset, but that's why I asked you out here. I want to talk. I want to make this right and I thought the most appropriate measure would be to show it."

Weiss' brain had been on such a roller coaster that this action made her thought process slam on the breaks. "Ruby, I have no idea what you are talking about. What's with these flowers, and more importantly, why did you take off your necklace?"

"Well, you were yelling at me earlier, telling me to go away, so I assumed that it was something I did. If you're allowed to not wear your necklace because you didn't feel you deserve it, then I think I have the same right," Ruby explained. Weiss desperately tried to recall what she was talking about, the whole day had been such a weird blur after she saw her score. She dug deeper, uncovering the memory that she had repressed. Her vision cleared, but a red filtering was present as she was shouting at her girlfriend, such hurtful words being sprayed at the one person who didn't deserve any of that.

Weiss set the flowers down, bringing Ruby in for a strong embrace. "I'm the one that should be sorry, Ruby," she whispered in her ear. "I was blaming you for something you didn't do. I was being selfish, a dunce, and I take back everything I said." She pulled Ruby back, forcing her to earnestly reply to her big gray eyes. "I'll say it again, Ruby. I'm so sorry for making you feel like you're responsible for some invented occurrence. I'm sorry for making you go through all this trouble for my behavior. In the future, never let me talk down to you like that. You are the last person in my life that would deserve a tongue lashing of that nature."

"Thanks, Weiss, but... if it's alright with you. I'd still like to know what's been troubling you," Ruby asked, trembling as if the very mention of former events would set her off again. Seeing how far Ruby went to try and mend the relationship, she deserved an explanation.

"You came here to talk. Take a seat. This might... it might take a while," Weiss requested. As soon as she sat down, the heiress lost her voice, unable to still utter the phrase of the meaning, her dawdling around the subject, meandering enough hoping to find that courage.

"The reason... the reason I was so angry earlier... is because... is because..." Beads of sweat formed at the heiress' brow, the stammering getting Ruby more nervous.

"You know, the fact that you want to talk is good enough for me. Why not continue this at another time?" Ruby offered, the kind gesture Weiss would rebuff.

"No. This needs to be said. For your apology and my mental health," Weiss replied. "I... I fa-failed that exam," the heiress hoping that speaking the dreaded phrase would have some sort of rewarding feeling for coming clean, but it was only burning her ears.

"Oh... oh my gosh, Weiss. I-I... I don't want to even comment."

"Let me comment for you then. How could you, Weiss Schnee, get an F? You are intelligent, you are infallible... you are perfect. Is that accurate?" Weiss' cold accusation affirmed by Ruby nodding her head, her sorrowful expression making the heiress feel worse. "I'm sorry that me being me has got you from being honest. This need for being the best all stems from my childhood. Winter and I were born to people who made their own success, making it hard to live up to. Both my mother and father were very accomplished people before meeting each other and that sense of achievement was passed on to us. Because they are a part of such high society, being number two was never enough. If you thought the rankings at Beacon were brutal, try one of our formal affairs where if your child wasn't exceptional at something you weren't even included in the conversation. I had to be the best. Back when I was still learning how to fight, I entered a young master championship for fencing. It was my first tournament and I was nervous, but made it to the finals. I lost on a technicality, but I still got a medal. My parents were only not impressed and going so far to say they were disappointed because I didn't live up to that impossible expectation."

Weiss buried herself in her knees, unwilling to look Ruby in the eyes as her voice was shaking through the confession. Getting that off her chest made her feel better than acknowledging her failure. The fact that she could tell Ruby such an intimate moment of her upbringing made her feel closer to her. The leader's arm wrapped around her, Weiss leaning into her girlfriend's form, her mind desperately seeking comfort.

"I'm not going to pretend I understand how you're feeling. I'm sure it was rather difficult with that extreme pressure on you at all times. If you're at Beacon, I can probably guess you didn't fail too much after that. This is your first slip up and you scrapped your knees and bruised yourself bad, but mind if I tell you what my dad said to me about failing?" Weiss silently accepted, raising her head to Ruby's shoulder as she was listening to her leader's encouraging words. "Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we do. It must seem bad now, but we still have the final. We can salvage this."

After hearing Ruby's parenteral lesson, Weiss did concede she may have been blowing this out of proportion. "_Maybe it's the lowness of the score or the first time that I have failed, but she's right, it isn't the end. If anything, I would have worked harder and inevitability done the same thing to myself again. It's not Ruby's fault I failed. It's her care and affection that is the reason I'm not cooped up in the room drowning in my self-pity._"

Weiss kissed her girlfriend's shoulder, keeping her voice low. "Thank you." Ruby's grip tightening around the heiress. The sun was setting, the serenity of dusk welcoming to Weiss with how stressful a day she has had. "Can we sit outside here for a little longer?"

"Yeah. No problem," Ruby responded. Weiss closed her eyes, her mind finally winding down after being run at full capacity for so long. She clasped the leader's hand that was firmly keeping them together, grateful to the hand that picked her up and dusted her off.

* * *

><p>"<em>I don't want to even know what that bloated hog of a professor is going to tell me,<em>" Weiss thought as she was making her way to Port's office. Yesterday she was convinced that Ruby's presence was enough to silence all the negativity surrounding her until an email from the professor was in her inbox requesting her to come immediately. "_Is he going to tell me how disappointed his is in me? Lay it on harder? Or give me some lecture on how the final is the last saving grace in passing?_"

As she reached the door, she felt it stretch to the ceiling, the growing fear shrinking her hope into a minute box in her throat. She stood outside, mentally cheering herself to open the door and get it over with. She took a deep breath an entered the dimly lit room, the instructor appearing more studious in here than down on the classroom floor. His face was buried in a book, peering over as Weiss entered the room.

"Oh, Miss Schnee. Glad to see you could make it," his loud voice still having a booming effect in the small space.

"It's my pleasure, Sir. Should I take a seat?"

"No. This won't take long," he said as he was rummaging through his messy desk, bringing out a form so familiar to the heiress. It was the exam she failed, her pupils reducing as she saw it, her worst thoughts coming to the forefront. "I was inputting the grades last night and your score was absurdly low. I know you as a student and a fail on any exam is possible. A twenty percent is impossible, so I looked into it..."

Professor Port went on an impressively long speech about how he went searching for why this could be happening, the heiress not getting to hear it as a deathly ringing in her ear was drowning it out. "_This is it. This is the last thing I needed today. Stop running from it, Weiss. Stand strong and take it._"

"...and as I sat down and went through the other two keys, I noticed my mistake." Weiss coming back into the conversation, her monologue not having her miss much as the professor continued. "I went through it by hand and saw that you had almost every question correct," the claim getting the heiress' attention. "So I took out another test and put your answers down. Here is your actual grade, Miss Schnee."

Weiss grabbed the paper from him, her eyes growing wide as she saw the score. "A ninety-ninety-seven?" she proclaimed in disbelief.

"Yes. A near perfect. I called you to personally apologize for my grievous mistake. I must have put you through the gambit," he spoke, not even knowing the half of it. Weiss was taken aback, her mind having its ends fried as her looked at her proper score. The amount of joy coursing through her stunting her natural courtesy.

"Th-thanks, Mr. Port. I re-really can't thank you enough," Weiss stammered out as she was taking her leave, an almost zombie-like walk as she was processing the miracle that occurred. As she entered the dorm, Ruby was anxiously waiting on the bed, ready to console a newly damaged heiress. The young leader got to her feet, Weiss slumping her back to the door.

Ruby placed her hand on the her shoulder, the leader trying to best to get a read on her girlfriend as Weiss was heavily breathing, eyes glued to the floor. A hand brought her face up to meet silver eyes, the heiress' mood turning on like a switch, a smile so broad that it provoked Ruby to ask, "How did it go? Is everything alright?"

Weiss still couldn't speak, lifting up her test and placing it between their faces. Ruby stepped back, double taking as she saw the score. "Oh my gosh, Weiss. Is this real? You did amazing."

"I did. The professor corrected it with the wrong key. I-I..." Ruby was faster to handle the information than the heiress, the leader squealing with happiness, lifting Weiss up from her feet. No longer able to contain it, she was laughing as her girlfriend carried her to the bed, slamming them both on the sheets. Weiss held onto her girlfriend, not wanting to let go for a single second she was sharing this bliss with Ruby.

Weiss didn't know how exhausting it was rolling around the bed, belting out laughter like no tomorrow. She laid on her back, Ruby hovering above her as she was reveling in how this one person could have such a presence in her life that it was propped her up when she faltered. As she looked at her, eyes still eager to play, Weiss brought it down, unable to contain what she wanted to convey.

"Thank you for not abandoning me."

Ruby smirked, the darkness behind the sincerity humorous to her. "I don't think you realize how much you rebuff me. I'm used to it. It's times like this, though, when you're trying to push me away is when it hurts. It hurts because I see something beyond the usual scowl and coldness in your eyes, a certain loneliness that's kind of hard to describe. It's then I know you need me the most."

Weiss was used to having chords strike with each romantic endeavor she has taken with Ruby. This one was different. The words having a different meaning as she listened, each one highlighting a new love for her girlfriend, Ruby's genuine expression intensifying the already beautiful moment.

"You can keep pushing me away, Weiss, but I'll always come back to your side."

Weiss was unable to articulate in proper how much Ruby meant to her at this point. A simple action for lacing her arms around her neck and bringing the leader closer for a peck would have to suffice. As much as Weiss wanted to celebrate more, she was fatigued by the extreme ups and downs of the last twenty-four hours. With the other two out of the room, she let Ruby sleep on top of her, the weight more than she was expecting, but she still had a ladylike delicateness to her. The young leader had Weiss in a loose embrace, Ruby dangling close around her neckline using her chest as a pillow. The heiress brushed the red-tipped bangs out of her forehead, Weiss wondering how Ruby could find her small bosom so comfortable. "_Is this love? Having your partner relax on you or your partner enjoying relaxing on you despite the bust size. Maybe both. I don't know what is the next step for us, Ruby, but I'm glad it's going to be with you._"


	16. Blake: Heat

This will also be a quick note. Thanks you everyone who continues to read and throws it out there for others to discover. Hopefully by the time I update again, I'll be at 500 followers so here's to you good people. Also, I made a Hanukkah One-shot, 'The Light that Shadows in the Night' starring our loving couple Bumblebee, so please check that out and give love to Bakki for the sexy, but misleading artwork. Hit fav/follow, it's greatly appreciated.

Blake: Heat

A heat wave had struck Vale, Beacon Academy getting some levity from the brutal temperatures, but they were still high. Blake and the rest of the students tried to dress down, leaving coats and anything else to keep them cool behind. At first, Miss. Goodwitch had an extreme disliking to the girls being so inappropriately dressed down. Ozpin took authority and gave his consent, the heat getting him out of his suit and scarf. With the headmaster going over her head, Glynda decided to go with the flow, her noticeable stares happening less as Yang had her shirt halfway buttoned down, her own way of battling the heat. Blake herself took the first couple off too, the gentle airing cooling her chest.

Unfortunately, that was a few days ago, the dress code back to full effect, but Blake still was feeling hot, even hotter than last week. Her full uniform was like a straitjacket of fire and sweat, the Faunus feeling like the odd one out as she saw everyone go about their day. Sitting in class was annoying, Yang's closed up top more inviting in the past days with her generous display of cleavage, but it was having Blake distracted more in class. She was having a loss of appetite as well, barely taking nibbles of her food the past day. Despite the lack of food, she was still having a crazy amount of energy and was easily getting distracted.

At the end of the day, the cool summer breeze lofting in the room was not affecting the Faunus' body temperature. In her robe, she lay rumpled on the bedspread, her arm placed over her slick forehead, it warm but not burning. Yang came in from dinner, scared as she saw her girlfriend looking so haggard.

"Blake?" she asked quietly as she slowly approached the Faunus, kneeling next to her bed. She let an an affirmatory groan as she heard Yang's nice voice. The blonde lifted her arm off her head, Blake opening an eye to see the purple eyes desperate to know the answer to this question. "Is everything alright? You've been out of it."

"I'm fine. I'm just feeling really hot. I think I'm coming down with something. It's hard to describe, but I'll get over it."

"Well, I still brought you some food. I told everyone that you were fine, but now I feel like I should go back and tell them."

"No, but thank you for the food. Leave it on the shelf please." The blonde placed the bag and startled curling up to her girlfriend. Almost immediately, Blake felt the extreme heat from her partner's aura. It was like adding fire to the sun, the Faunus feeling like a child with a fever was breathing hot air all on the side of her body, the usual welcomed warmth unpleasant. Part of her felt guilty for what she was about to say, not wanting to hurt her girlfriend. "I'm sorry, but can you not sleep here tonight?"

Yang gasped as she sat upright, amber eyes peeping open to see her girlfriend shocked by what she said. "Blake... no," Yang's eyes almost tearing up as if she called her something unspeakable. "We've been sleeping in the same bed since we've been together and even isolated incidences before we started dating. Even if you're sick, I still want to be next to you."

"You being next to me is only making this worse. You are my portable heater. I'm always comfortable when I'm next to you, and lulled to sleep by you on nice nights like this, but I can't... I can't tonight. I've been trying to go to sleep since you girls went to dinner. I don't like it either, but I think this is the only option."

Yang was clearly hurt, making Blake feel worse. "_I hate when I do this to her. Must run in the family to make sympathetic faces that make you want to take everything back. Her irises getting bigger, sensual lips pouting, her hair delicately resting on her bosom, her sweat from the day having her yellow shirt cling to the bountiful curves of her breasts. I so want to reach out and... and. What am I thinking? Did Yang notice me blatantly undressing her with my eyes? Poker face, Blake. You need to be firm on this one._"

The blonde didn't seem to notice, the situation preoccupying her thoughts. "You really want this, Blake?" Yang already hanging her head in defeat.

"Yes. I'm sorry, but this is for the best," Blake bending her neck so she could kiss her partner's lips, Yang reciprocating. The Faunus went in deeper, kissing heavier, the blonde willingly accepting as her libido was always turned on to max. Before she knew it, Blake had her tongue deep into her lover. Her mind snapped back out of her trance, leaving Yang dumbfounded.

"Why'd you stop? Ruby and Weiss won't be back for another few," Yang reasoned, Blake's mind almost letting herself sink back into her embrace.

"Umm... just go to bed," Blake worried, knowing what happened, but was quietly denying it. She didn't want to be awake anymore, hoping that she could sleep off whatever is ailing her. Yang begrudgingly hopped up to her top bunk, small thuds coming from the top as she beat the dust out of her pillow. Now alone, Blake was thinking more about her condition, the hot weather and racing speculations piling on making her twist and turn in the night.

"_It's not it. It's definitely not it. It can't be, it's too early. Yeah. That's right. I'm sick. This is one of those summer colds that will blow over in forty-eight hours. Day one is the worst of it, but tomorrow I will no doubt be feeling better and not having such hot thoughts. I mean, my head won't be as hot._"

Blake felt gross lightly drenched with her own sweat, wondering how it's fine after sex, but right now was making her feel gross. She stared at the top bunk, the frame holding her significant other, who she could hear was also asleep as the gentle sawing of logs was coming from above. Even in her state, she wanted Yang more than ever, the Faunus biting her finger to stop the urges.

As the night continued, she desperately wished there was a fan in the room, tempting her to skip class from lack of sleep. She reached for her scroll, the clock reading well past appropriate bed time. She took a deep sigh, acknowledging her defeat as her restless state was making it impossible to slide into slumber. Knowing full well it wasn't going to work, she closed her eyes, hoping that would count as sleeping behind the veil of her lids.

A thud sound came next to her head, Blake determined to keep her eyes shut as she assumed Yang was woken up in the night by some private business. As she was concentrating on going to sleep, she felt a tickle run up her thigh, the Faunus knowing too well who would be doing such a sensual action. The blonde beauty was bent over against her bed, the very familiar frisky lust in Yang's eyes as her hand trailed up further the soft flesh.

"Ya-yang..." she harshly whispered. "What are you doing?"

"Having a little midnight fun. Also, I have to punish the bad Faunus who kicked me out of bed. Your sentence is two hickeys and an orgasm," Yang ordered, her fingers reaching into her inner supple skin. Blake panicked and not for the reason she thought would come to mind. In the moonlight, the silver lighting highlighting some of the blonde's features to a hue that had the Faunus' desire flaring, her brain doing its best to lock her in position as she plead her case. Yang used her cleavage to further bend Blake's will, the mighty bosom spilling out of her orange tank top looking ever so inviting in the pale light.

She glanced over, Weiss was turned away, hopefully asleep, and Ruby's hand was dangling from her tent bunk. "We can't do this. It's against rule number one."

"I know," Yang said, undressing from her nightwear before positioning herself above the Faunus, lowering her head and giving Blake's neck a heavy inhalation, a quiver of velleity running though her. The fear of them being caught had the Faunus' heart pounding, but the blood wasn't rushing to her legs, her core already moistening by the titillating situation.

"Also, we'll wake them up," Blake making her last ditch effort as Yang pushed all the right buttons.

Her girlfriend had her arm snaked around the Faunus' head, the careful cradle giving Yang the perfect spot to be stroking her cat ears while the other hand heavily pet Blake's womanhood. She was the judge effectively carrying out Blake's sentence, leaving love bites on her neck and collar bone. She bit down hard on her lip, wanting the blonde to stop, but knew she'd let out a squeaky moan if she couldn't bring her pleasure threshold down. A hitch came to her throat as Yang was building up the pressure within her, each new plateau making it harder for her to control her innate pleas. It was no use, Blake forcefully placed her hand over her mouth to muffle a shriek as Yang was soaking her through the fabric.

Blake's back arched, body begging for Yang to stop teasing, the blonde only getting started as she began to disrobe her lover. Her one free hand pulled down on her nightwear, revealing a perky breast. Yang didn't hesitate as she placed her lips around the raised peak, the hardened bud massaged with the velvety glaze of her lover's tongue. Blake tried to give her body to her girlfriend with the immense ecstasy that was coursing through her with each small nibble on her areola. She knew Yang was magic, but didn't think one day her skills would be so good to make her arrive with mere foreplay.

Blake started bucking her hips, hoping that her force on Yang's sopping hands would have them slip past the fabric and into her. After a few obvious attempts, she picked up on the message, shifting the bottom of the Faunus' panties aside to give her an opening. The blonde roughly slid her fingers down the moist crevasse, thumb circling the clit causing a pulsating effect reaching every part of the Faunus' body.

Blake momentarily released her mouth, withholding from screaming at her girlfriend as she was almost delirious with pleasure. "Stop playing around," she growled out, barely containing the panting of air. Yang looked up from her chest, a smile laced with the gratification of getting Blake to beg so hard for her touch. She returned to the Faunus' breast, giving an affirmative moan and glided a digit in, causing Blake to gasp with it invading her cavern, her walls willingly accepting the intrusion. She quivered at the growing impatience of her lover purposefully dancing around her clit as she was letting Blake loosen to her touch. The Faunus' hips writhed with each prod from Yang's palm against her love button. With the trifecta of ecstasy that was overtaking her, Blake surrendered her body with a final outcry, giving the blonde her permission to allow the Faunus to finish.

Yang quickly added a second and thrust in and out, the Faunus letting out a few cries of passion, forgetting Weiss and Ruby were feet away as her girlfriend dutifully ravaged her mound. Yang had done so well before penetration, that the Faunus' walls constricted the delicate fingers inside her, the blonde relishing in a good challenge as she picked up her pace. Blake relinquished all control and embraced her partner, pressing their bodies together, sweat making them sleek as Blake thrust against Yang's rhythm. The blonde painfully uttered through gritted teeth, the Faunus' nails digging deep into her shoulder blades, the length of the reddened trails increasing as Blake was being driven to orgasm.

The Faunus cried in a mixture of pain and pleasure as Yang's fangs buried atop her breast, Blake thrown into a delirium that only the blonde's mouth could alleviate. The dark-haired woman fastened her hands atop the golden mane, pushing Yang down to where the Faunus needed her most. Her girlfriend was obedient, but vexatious as she resisted enough of Blake's force to make her squirm with anticipation as Yang dotted the Faunus' taunt figure with her lips. A few more swirls of her tongue and nibbling of skin later, Yang had arrived at Blake's opening, her core bathing the blonde's hand and sheets liberally with her nectar. The Faunus gasped incoherently as she felt her girlfriend's moist breath hitting her clit, the woman's hips bucking as she felt Yang's tongue lapping against her center, her girlfriend releasing herself, wrapping an arm around Blake's waist to steady her as she feasted on the sweet juices of her lover.

Blake could feel it as the blonde curled her fingers, hitting the most sensitive part of her while she was rippling through her folds with her fleshly muscle, the Faunus swearing if she stopped now she would kill her. With a final flick on her bud, she hit climax. She gasped and bolted upright in her bunk lightheaded and confused as to the sudden change of scenery. There was no Yang, no moonlight, a small glimmer of the sun breaking through the drapes. But there were a few similar details. The Faunus' heartbeat was off the charts, the woman almost thinking she was having a panic attack with her haggard breathing and dizziness from the abrupt awakening. As Blake wanted to check her pulse, she noticed where her hand was, buried deep between her legs. She slowly brought it up to her face from the damp area, shocked at the amount of fluid that drenched her hand. A creak came opposite her, hiding her shame from anyone who might be awake. Ruby was tossing about in her bed, relieved the Faunus was the only one out of slumber, but she still had to clean up.

Blake crept into the bathroom, taking off her panties to briskly observe how much she produced, both impressed and disappointed in the results. She balled it up and threw it into the laundry basket, vowing to either wash or burn them later. Now fully awake, she washed her hand and looked into the mirror, amber eyes scared to admit what she had been fighting all night. "_Why does this have to be now? There's only three weeks left of the semester. Why couldn't it have triggered then? I could have been in the safety of my home, bar the doors, and figure it out on my terms... No use denying it anymore. I got all the symptoms. The sweating, the increased energy, the... vividly immersive wet dreams, and just about everyone is distracting me to some degree._" Blake placed a hand over her face in embarrassment. "_I'm in heat._"

Blake was coated in sweat, but chose to forgo the shower to save time. The last thing she needed was Yang flaunting about nude around her, the Faunus' instincts being to submit to her. She splashed warm water on a cloth and scrubbed the grimy parts as fast as she could, hoping to at least get rid of the certain smells source as she lathered on lotions. With her smelling acceptable, she peeked out the bathroom door, Weiss fiddling with her scroll on the bed and the sisters still asleep.

Blake greeted Weiss with a smile and wave, hastily got dressed in her uniform, and out the door. "Hey, Blake," the recognizable voice coming from behind her. "You feeling any better?"

The Faunus didn't look back, knowing the usual blonde bedhead would have her flushing in the face. "Yeah, doing better. I'll see you in class. Bye," she rushed out, closing the door behind her before her girlfriend could respond. She strut down the halls, making her way to the cafeteria. As she sat down nibbling at her food, she felt the dread of the heat symptoms at play. One-by-one, the students were coming in for breakfast, Blake regretting not bringing a book to distract her.

Pyrrha came in hand-in-hand with Jaune, the Faunus sitting there wishing she could be a part of that sandwich. The blonde boy's capable physique may be able to handle her as she would be showing Pyrrha how a real climax is achieved. She stared at the well proportioned body of the redhead, desperately wishing she was in her normal attire so she could get a hefty glimpse at the luscious cleavage. Having her wish partially granted came in Nora in her normal white getup. The Faunus could notice from a distance the slight glistening of sweat that was in the heart-shaped cutout on her top from early morning training with Ren, Blake already imagining how she would have shred her clothing starting at that spot and run the batteries out of the spunky teammate of JNPR. Ren came in next, the Faunus never finding him particularly attractive, but she would have turned his normally reserved nature in a bold beast in the bedroom.

Blake hadn't realized how long she had been gawking at the students, only by taking a bite out of her pancake was it obvious, the heat leaving a cold, soggy bland taste in her mouth. Disgusted with her behavior she tossed her food in the trash, storming out of the cafeteria hoping that the next people coming through the halls weren't her team. Blake rushed herself into the classroom, being an hour early had its perks with the emptiness. She sat in her usual spot, burying her face and embarrassment in her arms.

"_I can't believe myself. All that came to mind was sex. I undressed them all with my eyes and the raunchiest things possible came to mind. You can get through this, though. Yang already thinks I'm sick. I'll have her turning Vale upside down if I were go missing in that mindset. I didn't go through my training for nothing. I can contain the most extremes of any emotion, my desire to have sex should be no different. Deep breaths and concentrate. Even in heat, Professor Port shouldn't do anything for me._"

Blake sat patiently waiting for class to start. Focusing her eyes at the center of the class, blinding her peripherals with her bangs. Unfortunately, a harsh laughter came from behind her, Cardin having a better day than herself. As Blake's new vision had taken effect, she started to feel literally ill as the lewd thoughts of her and Cardin passed through her mind. She went back to staring at the board, determined to keep it together.

The Faunus heard the familiar back-and-forth bickering between Ruby and Weiss, knowing Yang wouldn't be far behind. The calloused hand of her lover stroked from shoulder to shoulder as she passed her to take her seat. "You ran off this morning. I couldn't give you a kiss." Fingers laced through the black mane brought the Faunus' head to Yang's lips.

Blake's breathing picked up as the rousing action had her more heightened libido flaring up. She could feel the blood in her face making her hot, a quick tug at her collar to let out the excess heat. "Yea-yeah. Sorry about that."

Yang spun the Faunus around in her seat, Blake's eyes wide with the buffet of beauty that was manicured in front of her, the blonde appearing more erotic to the Faunus. Her girlfriend closed the distance, brows curved as she examined her. Blake subdued a small gasp as she had the smell of her shampoo wafting in, the smell triggering many of the past liaisons with her lover. Blake unconsciously licked her lips, the sight alone making her carnally hungry for sex.

"You sure you're alright there, Blake? I know you're standing and all, but I feel that you're overexerting yourself," Yang said in concern. Blake still had her excuse and she was going to abuse to its fullest extent.

"I'm fine," spinning herself back in her seat, fearing that any second she would have tackled Yang to the ground. Her standoffish demeanor seemed to manipulate the situation as she wanted, the blonde not questioning further as the bell rang, the portly professor coming from the faculty hallway and making a new record in how fast he can go off in a tangent in class. During and sometime after the professor was talking about his fishing weekend, Blake's eyes were darting across the room, surveying the more provocative features of the student body. The urges were creeping up on her, her hips gyrating on her own, hoping that the cousiony fabric would rub hard against her lower lips. Beads of sweat ran down her face, plastering her bangs to the sides, the healthy mass of students more than she was bargaining for.

"Blake?" came a small whisper from her side. The Faunus begrudgingly looked over, Yang scared at the expression of desperation. "Need me to take you to the nurse?"

She didn't hear what Yang said, her gaze focused on the luscious lips. The Faunus couldn't think of anything but salacious thoughts, the stimulation with this many people in her condition overwhelming the senses. "I-I got to leave," she breathed out. As she was bolting out the door, she tripped over Yang's pack, aiming unwanted attention at the Faunus as she was making her great escape.

Blake ran to the dorm and jumped underneath the covers despite the heat, ashamed at what had transpired back in the classroom. "_I hate this. It makes me feel like those people who detest us are right, that we are just animals,_" Blake building up tears as she vented her frustration. "_All this work to have equal rights and it's theses glaring differences that are ammo against us. This wouldn't be half as bad if I weren't around people. When it happened with me and Adam, we were in a desert on an elongated mission with no one around for miles, but it wasn't us making love. It was this animalistic, bestial act._" Her breathing turned uneven with a combination of anxiety and resentment. "_With Yang, it may be the same moves, but I feel something when we make love. It's the first time that sex wasn't some deed to satisfy needs, but have a heartfelt meaning behind it and I don't want to tarnish our relationship with this passionless lust. When I look at her, I don't see her. I see a collection of body parts I want to ravage and appendages that can make me orgasm. I don't want it like this. I have to hide it from the team and more importantly, Yang. I don't want them to see me like an uninhibited animal._"

*-Yang-*

Her legs were running by themselves trying to catch up with Blake only to be stopped by the deep voice from the center room. "Miss Xiao Long, where do you think you're going?"

Yang turned around, surprised that Professor Port would actually stop his story for her. "Blake didn't look too well. I was going to make sure she's OK."

"That's very professional of you to be caring for your partner, but Miss Belladonna is a grown woman. She can take care of herself for the next forty minutes. Please, take your seat. We have a very important lecture to get to, but just to finish my story..."

Yang did as told, finding some truth to his statement. "_Can't be smothering, Blake. She's never been one to like the suffocation of extreme care. I'll check up on her immediately after class._" That promise not being able to fulfill fast enough. The clock seemingly went slower as she kept peering back, anxious to get out.

Finally able to leave, she went to the dorm, semi-relieved to see a big ball hiding underneath the sheets. She could hear heavy, tempered breathing coming from the Faunus, Yang approaching with caution. "Blake, what's wrong?"

The amber eyes peeked behind the bedspread, hiding them again once she registered who it was. Yang thought to herself that it looked like a cat wanting to play if it wasn't for the flushed face and uneven breathing. The motherly impulse to care was coursing through her, taking baby steps to get to the bed. "Nothing. Summer cold. I took medicine and I'll sleep it off."

"I never heard of a cold that has a person as active as you. I think it's something more. Let me take your temperature" As Yang was reaching out to pull the covers away from Blake's face, the Faunus refuted the caring gesture.

"Don't touch me!" the loud muffle came from beneath the covers, startling Yang with some sort of sixth sense. "Don't come near me!"

Yang's predisposition to keep pushing further had her hand grasping the end of the sheets. "You need me to get you something then?"

Blake pulled the covers from the blonde's hand, the Faunus coming out of the covers willingly, shocking Yang with the distressed expression. "No! I need you to listen. I need to be alone... please."

Hearing the barely squeaked out plea, Yang knew she was now crossing lines she probably shouldn't. She wanted to be next to Blake, help however she could, but not in this fashion. She decided to give the Faunus what she wanted, vowing to do some research and giving Blake more than protective affection. "Fine. I'll be back later, though."

Yang hesitated walking out the door, hating that she was second guessing her gut instinct as she closed the door behind her. She had to keep her determination strong, knowing if she stopped she'd run back to Blake. As easy as it was to access the internet with her scroll, Yang went to the library to use a desktop, wanting to have as many resources at her disposal for diagnosing Blake. After a few hours of scanning through a database, the best she could come up with is a couple psychological disorders and a disease that she would have to travel to the jungles of Remnant to get.

The blonde massaged her head as she hit her impasse. "_I can do better than this, or perhaps this as good as I can do. I only have four symptoms to go off of, flushed face, irregular breathing, higher body temperature, and excess energy. Dare I open up some dusty textbook from a hundred years ago and start reading. Looks like I'm coming back to the room with some chicken soup and an ice pack. I don't like admitting defeat, but it looks like my strengths lie on the battlefield and not in a medical examination room._"

Yang's tired eyes needed a break from the irritating white light of the monitor, resting her head in her arms for a few. At least that's what she thought she was going to do until the shrill voice of her sister's girlfriend came from behind her. "What's got you so down?" A pounding of large textbooks rumbled the desk, Weiss taking a seat next to her.

"I am not personally down, just resting my eyes worrying about Blake. Been searching online for anything I can help her with, but there's no way she could've contracted anything I looked up," she admitted, piling a bit of the problem unintentionally onto Weiss.

The heiress thought about it for a bit. Also, as if her brain was faster than a computer, computed the next logical solution. "You were searching in a humans only database, weren't you?"

Yang felt the lightning bolt hit her as Weiss led her to the obvious discovery. "Yeah... yeah I was. I didn't even take that into account."

"That's because you are blinded by both love and understanding. You see her so often..." Weiss pausing, making sure this conversation was private. "...without the bow. You don't let the ears define who she is, but rather look at her as a Faunus as a whole. Don't feel bad not taking that into account. I'm sure Blake would appreciate the sentiment."

Yang got back to looking for a Faunus illness database, her query immediately getting results when she put in the symptoms. She clicked on the first suggestion, Estrous Cycle. The page was like uncovering buried treasure with each shovelful. "Female Faunus will go through a period of heat, where the individual will have an increased desire to have sexual intercourse. This is brought out by the ovarian follicles and estrogen secretions exert their biggest influence. The female then exhibits sexually receptive behavior such as continuous thoughts about sex, rubbing themselves on others, more frequent masturbation, higher energy, and a heightened sense in all erogenous zones."

Yang felt like she found the answer to the universe, the greatest information of all time. The one that wouldn't cure cancer, but would ensure complete happiness for at least five days. "That explains some of the actions I was observing in class."

The comment grabbed Yang's attention. "You were noticing this and not telling me?"

"I honestly thought you knew and also it's not my business to be spreading rumors based on a few instances. I thought I saw her humping the seat in class," Weiss pointed out, Yang's heart jumping to her throat from the lewdness. "She was also giving me very curious stares. The ones she usually gives to you," Weiss explained, Yang knowing too well what the heiress was referring to. The lustful gaze, knowing in her mind she was imagining her naked. "I remember back in the mansion we used to have Faunus help. I didn't know at the time what I was hearing, but now I realize they used to have sex in the pantry, the howls being heard throughout the halls. It all seemed intense and let's just say father wasn't pleased, but leave it to him to be disgusted and not want to give up cheap labor. To have them not violating various parts of the house or humping furniture, he let them go for a week with pay. Solved that crisis."

Yang could barely fathom what a golden opportunity had fallen in her lap. She loves Blake, inside and out. She loves her addiction to books, her gentle articulation, her coy smile, her well-toned butt, her cat ears, and a million other traits. This, however, is not just icing on the cake, but the cake also topped with a banana split with sprinkles and a cherry on top. "So, just so we're on the same page, currently Blake is back in our room, hornier than she has ever been, and needs that are insatiable?"

"Well, yeah, that's what the diagnosis says," Weiss' eyes shrinking as she caught onto the blonde. "Yang. No, you better not..."

The brawler was already on her feet before Weiss could finish her sentence. "Tell Ruby to stay away from the room for the next three days."

"You are not kicking us out of the room for the weekend!"

"Already have. It's in your best interest to heed this warning. See you girls Monday." The best seducing techniques were whirling through mind, each one too easy. She wanted to bring Blake out of her lair and have her dragged back in. Before she opened the door, she primped herself well, making sure all of her assets were at their peak. She took a deep breath, hoping to stifle the eagerness and a smile stretched ear to ear.

Yang leisurely entered the room, leaning demurely as she closed it behind her. As her eyes panned towards the bed, Blake was on her side, head propped up against a pillow as her nose was buried in a book. The Faunus glanced up, only for her focus to dart back to the pages. Yang saw her prey, readying the attack. "Hey Blake."

"Hi-hi Yang. You're back earlier than expected."

The shake in her voice Yang found sexy in its own right, not having seen this side of Blake since they first got together. The difference this time, boiling underneath the surface, was a sexual desire that needed just a bit more pressure until it burst, Yang hoping all over her face. She puffed out her chest, as if her breasts needed to be more prominently displayed, hands innocently behind her back, wringing with the devious ideas she had in store for Blake.

"Couldn't just leave my poor sick girlfriend all alone. Thought I would provide a house call to cater to your body." Yang brought her voice down, attacking with the smallest of gestures to test the waters.

"Summer cold all taken care of. No need for your intervention," Blake quickly trying to snuff the idea, not knowing this was just the beginning.

"You say that, but I feel that a second diagnosis is in order," the blonde sultry said, tipping the book in the Faunus' hands down. Blake's face had never been so alluring to Yang, amber orbs big with the uncertainty of what comes next, a generous blush around her cheeks as her lips that were hungry for hers. The blonde still felt like toying with her impossibly aroused lover, wanting the gratification of her making the first move. She pressed forward, placing her forehead against Blake's, keeping it in place as she grasped the back of her head, cradling it in her palm. She heard the Faunus do a quick intake, Yang witnessing just how receptive she was.

"You're warm, but it's pleasant," she whispered, moving her face closer to Blake's ears, making certain there was skin to skin contact. The Faunus' breathing picked up again, Yang's ego flaring to new heights as she seduced her.

The blonde backed away, hand brushing past Blake's cat ears. She observed her progress, pleased with the results. The Faunus looked as if she had already been through intense foreplay, Yang knowing any second now she would hear the big O of victory, until Blake brought her book back to her face. "I'll ta-take a pass."

Yang was shutdown. Never had her advances been resisted to this degree. She felt like an expert that was being bested by some new trick to the puzzle. Blake was always one to rebuff at first, wanting Yang to earn her affection, which the brawler played along with. She always got her prize, even if it came days later after an exam. She was not to be beaten, especially knowing what lies at the end of this finish line.

Yang backed off, rummaging around her desk to give the illusion she was doing something else, even though her mind was in overdrive in what to do next. "_I'm already playing the game, so I can't be changing into a new uniform consisting of lingerie. I got to get creative with this. All of her is responsive. I tried tactile, used my charmingly low voice, my beauty is always captivating, and I can't exactly drop a taste of me into her mouth... but smell. I heard smell is the greatest inducer of bringing memories to the forefront. I need something that smells like sex, though._"

The blonde rapidly tapped her fingers against her desk, school supplies not being the sexiest of ideas, but the school uniform was. For once she was glad the girl's uniform was uniquely feminine, tugging her panties down the legs. She didn't need to be the greatest panty thrower in the world, but just had to land it in arm's reach. She bundled them up in a small red ball and lobbed it across the room, landing squarely on the Faunus' chest. As soon as she grabbed the curious projectile, Yang began reeling herself back to the bed.

Each step Yang came closer, so was Blake by unfolding the underwear, the blonde noticing she was resisting the urge not to bring her scent directly to her petite nose. She sat on the edge, knowing full well she was about to be yanked in, be stripped, and pillaged for the Faunus' unyielding pleasure. Her violet irises met amber, but it wasn't to Yang's desired conclusion. As soon as she saw Blake's tears form, her craving for the hunt left her.

*-Blake-*

The Faunus' mind couldn't contain it anymore, her brain splitting from being provoked so repeatedly by Yang and her natural reaction to keep denying her body what it wanted was to cry. She started hyperventilating, her girlfriend coming closer attempting to help, only making it worse with her smell and body contact. "No, Yang, please. Stop! I'm in heat," she screamed out, the admittance having Yang back off. "I'm sure you already know that, though. It's not like I haven't been obvious with how I've been acting."

Yang nodded her head, "I had a hunch."

"I didn't mean to snap at you and be so distant, but..." the Faunus letting a few drops roll down her cheeks. "I'm ashamed that my body does this, that I have this ridiculous period where I can't control myself. I was naive to think I could keep it together just because I'm a little older. It's why I was lashing out before. I didn't want you to see me like this... like an animal. I must look so pathetic. I'm sure once you found out about my condition you couldn't resist. Who would? I know when Adam and I figured it out we took complete advantage of it, but I don't want to do this with you, Yang."

Behind the watery lens she couldn't make out the violet ones, unsure what Yang was feeling. "I don't... I don't want our love making to be reduced to some act based on a hormone release. What we do is beautiful cause we love each other. Sex in heat has none of that magic, it has no love, it only has the selfish need to fulfill itself. I don't want to ever not make love to you, Yang." The silence interrupted with the occasional whimper of Blake, her drives running at their capacity causing this eruption of emotions.

Blake felt Yang's strong arms lift her out from under the sheets, briskly being carried like a feather. The Faunus was at her limit, unable to hold back anymore and not wanting to. She clawed her way up to the blonde's lips, fiercely kissing her jaw as she tugged at the blouse, the material stronger than she was anticipating. She wanted Yang and didn't care that she was about to be taken advantage of. It wouldn't be so bad so long as it was her. She felt the fabric give away, the satisfying sound of cloth ripping knew Blake had her opening. Her hand fought against the top, trailing the milky skin until she got to one of Yang's peaks, wanting nothing more than to leave her mark a thousand times on her lover.

A few squeaky turns and water came rushing onto the couple. "Oh my goodness. Why is it so cold?" Blake practically jumped out of Yang's arms, the blonde strong enough to keep the Faunus in place.

"Stay still. I know it's cold, but this is going to work." Yang fought back, pinning the girl to the tiled wall as the freezing liquid kept pouring. The blonde pulled the bangs out of her eyes, Blake seeing the warm expression amongst the icy liquid. "It's called a cold shower. It isn't exclusive to guys." Either the Faunus' body was getting used to the temperature or the water was extinguishing the fire inside her, but she saw what Yang was trying to do.

A small smile crept along her face. "Sort of thought you were taking me in here for some shower play. What changed your mind?"

"Believe me, I was. The second I connected the dots that was the only thing I was aiming for, but it was what you said back there," Yang pausing, Blake finding a hint of sensuality with the blonde's bouncy hair diluting to a wet straight mess of strands following the generous contours of her body. But that wasn't as enticing this time compared to what was being said. "I know what you were talking about, how sex can be meaningless. I've had my serving and went back for seconds for that high, and you're right, it's different when we have sex. There is this connection under all the sweat, slickness, and orgasms. There is love and I wouldn't want it any different either."

With Blake's vision being so hazy from the continuous stream of sex the past day, she was so appreciative how clear it was now. She knows how much Yang likes their private time and she denied a full helping of it for the Faunus' sake. "Thanks," Blake leaning in, giving a chaste kiss, at first. Seems no matter how frigid the water, the Faunus was still in heat. Soon they had tongues twining and the taste of her lover was getting her too wild as a cheeky bite on on the lip drew blood in the heat of the moment. As she tasted the copper, she noticed it wasn't hers, but Yang's, the blonde wide-eyed from the surprise. As Blake was about to apologize for the painful measure, Yang reached for the handle, making the water even colder.

The Faunus shrieked at the arctic liquid filtering through the faucet. "What was that for?"

"That was for me. That was really hot," Yang laughing as she licked the dribble of blood off her lips. Blake couldn't resist, both wanting to embrace and get warm as she nuzzled Yang in the freezing shower.

* * *

><p>"Why can't you tell me why we're packing up?" Ruby asked, closing the clasps on her suitcase.<p>

"I'll tell you on the way. Stop questioning and let's get out of here," Weiss hotly replied. Ruby huffed, but was going to do as she was told.

"What about you, Yang? You don't look ready?" Ruby questioned.

"I'll be the last to leave. Get to the airship early. I want a bit of private time with Blake," Yang explained, earning a soul-piercing stare from Weiss. Yang mouthing out. '_It's not that. Get your mind out of the gutter._' The heiress rolled her eyes, not giving the brawler the benefit of the doubt with her previous actions.

When the couple was alone, Blake sheepishly walked up to Yang, forcing her gaze to the ground. Without cold water, she didn't want to trust herself. "You're... you're really going through with this?"

"Please, you say you can't be trusted, well double that with me. If we really want to keep the sex life pure, then this is the more civil option. Renting me and the girls a hotel room for the weekend isn't all bad. I get to watch Ruby and Weiss interact and you get to masturbate till you pass out."

Blake took a shot at Yang's arm, enjoying the filthy joke. Still, she couldn't hold back and gave a chaste peck on the blonde's cheek. "I love you, Yang."

"I love you too, Blake. See you soon," Yang turning around, the Faunus still wanting to have some reward for her girlfriend being so altruistic.

She rushed and seized her from behind, inching up to speak confidentially. "One day, when I am able to have more control of this, I promise we'll rent a cabin, lock ourselves in, and not come out for five days."

Yang let out a deep sigh. "Blake, you can't be tempting me like that when my foot is barely out the door. I will hold you to that. I want to see if my skills can drain a Faunus in heat."

"Be sure to bring your A game. Till then..." Blake nipped the nape of Yang's neck, releasing her so she wouldn't miss the airship departure. She stood at the doorway as long as she could, popping back in the room before she inevitably would be catching up to Yang, wanting to take another breath of that mixture of citrus and gunpowder.

Blake plopped on her bed, opening up one of her guilty pleasure romances and getting to the good part. As she was about to get comfortable and relax with an erotic read, she couldn't get Yang out of her mind, Blake being forever cursed by the blonde's image. She reached up to Yang's bed and grabbed her pillow, missing her faster than she expected. "_I'll take care of myself later as I won't have this kind of lucidity. That blonde constantly wanting my affection is something I look forward to when I wake up. This one time she chooses not to means so much more. Yang, if you keep winning me over, then I don't think you can lose._"


	17. Ruby: Full Bloom

A nice quick note. Always a big thanks to those that read and follows and all that good stuff. Be sure to check out my artist, Bakki, for is sexy Bumblebee pic for my Hanukkah one-shot and a new White Rose art in the near future. Hope everyone had a merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah. Also, hope you enjoyed your treats, Miss Barbara. Thanks for the shout out. You're the best. Follow/Fav, Review, all that jazz. See you next year.

Ruby: Full Bloom

It was a quiet night at Beacon Academy, a cool summer night was welcomed from the random heat wave that swept the campus and the heat that hit Blake. Ruby did have to admit that instead of Yang being a heater, Blake was overheating the room during that week. If it wasn't for her sister's plan of taking them to a hotel, she might not have had a good night's rest. The downside to all of it was having Yang in the room, unintentionally supervising Weiss and Ruby as they were confined that weekend. This wouldn't have been so bad if sex hadn't been on the forefront.

After Weiss and Yang broke down what was happening with Blake, Ruby did tint a little red, but not out of embarrassment of sex being talked about so frankly. It was mostly towards her teammate and the struggle she was having going through heat. If anything, she was fascinated with the aspect of the different types of sex, which was the whole reason they were staying at a motel this weekend. Ruby may not have known what sex was to her, but she brought it down to her level to relate. Weiss may be her only experience in romance, but she feels that connection Yang spoke of that makes the difference. It's when Yang took Blake out after a weekend cooped up in the dorm did Ruby have a desire to take things farther.

The young couple were in the room, heavily making out as a busy week had them buried in their books. Now Ruby was buried in the silky softness of Weiss' hair, nibbling on her neck. "Ruby, seriously. Do not leave a mark," the heiress with a noticeably breathy voice as Ruby was making her weak.

"I know," she mumbled, secretly hoping there was a tiny blemish in the morning. Ruby fell onto her back, taking Weiss with her, the heiress getting comfortable laying on the leader's chest. The ice princess tucked herself under the leader's chin, lazying herself atop her girlfriend. Ruby cherished these easy-going times where school and The White Fang wasn't driving them up the walls, but with the omnipresence of sex on her mind, she flipped Weiss over.

The heiress was confused, but the disarming effect of kissing her partner had her on board with a few pecks. Ruby couldn't verify how good she was at kissing compared to her sister, but she had to admit she was mastering it. Each gentle peck, slip of the tongue, and well-placed kiss had the heiress give an appreciative moan. Not to take all the glory, she still felt Weiss was more skilled at this, having the leader always lingering around for more. With Ruby's new attitude, she unknowingly was making a bold move.

Ruby ran her fingers through the white strands, following them down to the tip where her hands really wanted to be. With the leader's hands at position, Weiss' head moved south tugging on her pajama tank top, cuing Ruby to give a more adventurous turn to the session. Her hands ran down Weiss' slender hips, gliding down the velutinous blue nightgown, cupping the small butt of her girlfriend.

As if the gentle squeeze was a button on a toy, Weiss reacted, bailing out of the loving session. Like a criminal being caught, Ruby pleaded innocence raising her hands above her head, touching nothing but air. "Sorry. I was... I mean, I've always wanted to know... No. That's not what I meant. What I meant was..."

Ruby stopped her frantic babbling as she saw a smile curl onto her girlfriend's face. The steely blue orbs not ready on the attack, but had an expression she's seen Blake and Yang exchange on an almost regular basis, the alluring half-lidded gaze of longing. "I didn't say to stop."

Ruby's heart jumped to her throat as Weiss indirectly gave her permission to fondle her cheeks. Ironically, now that she was aware of the situation, she found it intimidating to place her hands back. With a gentle persuasion of Weiss, she was firmly back in place. "Like this?" she asked, looking for reassurance.

"Yeah. Just like that," Weiss said under her breath, her mouth returning to Ruby's as they passed the small roadblock. The heiress had taken lead of the session with her interruption, her tongue glazing the ridges of the leader's mouth, eliciting a giggle into Weiss. She moved her hands farther till she touched the hem of the gown, Ruby lightly stroking the back of the creamy skin. The leader felt the slim fingers touch the exposed midriff, the heiress creeping along Ruby's torso as her hands went underneath the top. With Weiss exploring new territory, so did the younger girl, lifting the bottom of the nightie up, snaking her fingers around the elastic of her panties and slowly peeling them off the slender end.

Weiss responded again, this time it matching Ruby's expectations. The heiress looked repulsed, Ruby trying to play off the innocence. "Well, I thought we were trying new things."

"We were, but not that kind of new. At least not when we didn't schedule the room for ourselves. I know you'd be mortified if Yang caught us in the act," Weiss explained, Ruby cluing in between was that said.

"So... if we did schedule the room for that, then it would be alright to go further?" Ruby asked, keeping eye contact with the heiress, her eyes shifting about as if the answer was going to found around the leader's head.

"You... even if I wanted to, you could never get a lady like myself to admit it," Weiss hotly shot back, Ruby felt depressed, wanting her girlfriend to at least be thinking about it at this point in their relationship. Seemed Weiss picked up on Ruby's dismay, cradling her cheek and directing attention again on her. "Hypothetically speaking, if you were to schedule the room for ourselves, I wouldn't be mad. I'd actually be extremely flattered, and perhaps, if the mood was right, things could happen."

Ruby's mood picked up with Weiss' coy revelation. "What kind of things?"

A more affectionate flick to her nose came from the playful heiress, "Stop trying to get me to say it, you dolt," the girls laughing together. With the steamy make out partially hindered by new information and Ruby's overstepping of hemlines, the two snuggled in the bed, Ruby's heart prematurely pounding at the thought of them two on this very bed having sex. Her overactive mind was brought back to the present constantly by her girlfriend, her ability to keep Ruby in focus outstanding.

As Weiss had fallen asleep in her arms, Ruby was still awake from the running thought in her head. As she was brushing the bangs away from the heiress' face, she too was wondering if the same thoughts were going through her mind. "_It's going be a lot of internet searches about sex on my scroll the next few weeks. Going to have to clear my browser history constantly in case I lend it out to someone. Weiss, if there was anyone I'd want to cross this milestone with, I'm glad it's you._" Ruby placed a kiss though the white locks, bringing the thin girl closer, inhaling the smell of vanilla before slumber.

With finals looming upon them, Ruby welcomed the distraction of school as the responsibility of planning a date and the subsequent losing her virginity was stressing her out more than Weiss and the brutal study sessions. The free time she did have she was searching for what to do and how to do it, finding information useful, and others outright dangerous and illogical. She may not have had sex, but sprinkling pepper in her nose before an orgasm was stupid. She was tempted to find Yang and tell her this mind-blowing tip, her sister getting the most out of it in how hard she would be laughing at that amateurish advice.

As she was oscillating between school, training, and planning, she did have the final obstacle to cross before anything were to happen. She had to get permission from Yang. The very same rule that was created to make sure Ruby and Weiss wouldn't walk in on them was backfiring as the leader was ready to take that next step in their relationship. As much as she was able to speak so freely with her sister, sex and relationships was a barrier she chose to keep up. It wasn't out of embarrassment, but that she saw Yang as this flawless girlfriend. Even when Blake confided that they fight like any normal couple, she still was amazed how happy she makes the Faunus and how unbreakable their bond seems to be. They appeared adult compared to her and the landmark she's crossing.

There was also the fact that Yang is super protective and could easily veto the request. Even if Blake agreed to it, she was sure Yang would bring out the 'I'm her older sister' card and supersede that vote. She wanted to have Weiss next to her when the time came, but she knew she couldn't if she wanted to keep it a surprise, and deep down, she knew she had to do this one heart-to-heart with her sister. It was going to be uncomfortable, awkward, and slightly humiliating, but Ruby knew she had to ask.

The leader waited for the perfect weekend that was in between finals, giving her one day where she could take out Weiss and not have a lecture about how they are wasting time. Everything was set up. The food and drink was under the bed being chilled, the decorations at the ready in her desk, and her mind was mentally prepared for whatever happened later, both good or bad. What was left was to ask Yang for permission.

Ruby waited till the last minute, not finding the right time or any place she could be alone with her sister, Blake being her shadow was an excuse she kept bringing up to procrastinate the conversation. To peel the Faunus away, she asked Weiss to go hang out with her, the heiress under the impression of wanting to have them better acquainted for future double dates. She sat on Weiss' bed, staring at her scroll with an eloquently written message of '_Come to the room. I need to talk._', her thumb teasing the send button.

"_It's been an hour since you sent Weiss out. Hit the button, Ruby._" she mentally commanded herself. She blinked and turned away, not wanting to watch the info be sent. She collapsed on the bed, this small step taking all of her mental power, but it wasn't over. "_Sort of hope Yang is all the way in Vale and she can't get here for another hour. That took too much effort. I wonder if it's this hard with other siblings or am I just the one that's making this overly complicated?_"

As she was lost in her thoughts, the door opened, in coming Yang. "Hey, Ruby. You said you wanted to talk about something?"

The leader stood at attention, movements so stiff that she thought she was going to crack. "Yea-yeah, thanks for... thanks for coming," Ruby nervously spit out, her eyes darting around the room as soon as she made contact with her sister. She didn't think she would be nervous as she was, palm sweaty, knees weak and hands wringing as she found the words gets caught in her throat.

Seeing her sister in such distress prompted Yang to get closer. "Is something the matter? Did you and Weiss have a fight?" The leader didn't like that Yang's first jump was that she was having trouble with her girlfriend, making it harder for her to speak.

"N-no. It's not that. I..." Ruby choking again as she met the violet irises. The leader could sense the last seconds ticking before Yang starts a full on interrogation. She didn't want to say it, fearing her sister's reaction, but she found her voice and blurted out. "I want to borrow the room tonight with Weiss."

The stillness of the air after Ruby vehemently professed was more agonizing than getting her point across. She stared at the floor, shaking from the numerous negative possibilities that Yang could chose from, Ruby not knowing how she would reason against any of the potential arguments. Brown boots and orange socks invaded her vision, Yang's arms slowly snaking around Ruby. A tender act, but made it all the more unsettling as the leader was still too short to be out of reach of her sister's bosom.

"You sure about this, Ruby? Are you really ready for this?" Yang softly asked, the older sister loosening her grip so the leader could answer proper.

With a positive atmosphere, Ruby had the courage to look up, her sister with a concerned, but caring face as she held onto her little sister. "Ye-yes. I've been thinking about it for a while and I know that I want to do this. I don't know if I'm necessarily ready, but I love Weiss and I want to take this next step with her."

"That's a very mature answer for you," Yang replied, eyes getting glassy, the water making Ruby nervous. The blonde quickly wiped away the extra liquid, not wanting her little sister to see, but too late for Ruby to inquire.

"Why were you tearing up?"

"Because I'm a little happy and a lot sad, but even more proud. It's hard to watch you grow up, Ruby. I've been there raising you for so long that seeing you become an adult hasn't been easy. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you came to me, but this is one of the many gateways you've passed to being an adult, and the lessening of your dependency on me. That's why I'm crying, because I'm seeing you not needing me anymore."

Ruby could see the strong front unsteadily standing before her, Yang's words also tugging at her heartstrings, tears forming in the young leader's eyes. She buried herself back in her sister's chest, tightening the grip around her. "Thank you, Yang, but I'm you're little sister. I'll always need you. Yes, I'm growing up, but I'm not growing out from you having my back. You'll always have a place in my life. Even if you think it's small, I guarantee you it's larger than you think."

"You're really sweet with how you're trying to console me, but this isn't about me. I'll handle myself later. This is a big night, Ruby." Yang positioning her arms on the leader's shoulders so she could get composure. "You got everything you need? You need any tips or tricks? Need me to grab you girls a special bottle of rum at downtown Vale?"

Ruby's tears receded seeing how supportive and understanding Yang was about the situation. She felt so silly thinking it could be any different just because the situation is graduated. She placed a hand on Yang's, accepting the help. "I think I do. You have any tips?" Ruby barely able to get out the question with how personal it was, the younger sister holding her breath hoping that the next words out of Yang's mouth weren't just to be confident.

The blonde zeroed in on something Ruby didn't expect, her calm eyes growing big as she inspected her hands. "When was the last time you cut your nails?" Ruby thinking way too long about the answer made her worry what could be wrong. "Don't even say anything. March yourself into the bathroom. I'm giving you a quickie manicure."

"Wait. What's wrong with having long nails?" Ruby frantically asked, Yang living up to her predictions on being protective.

"Don't think about it too hard, and if you are, you may want me to drill you on more than just the basics." Ruby felt a ball grow in her throat, unsure of whether or embrace or fear whatever happens in the next hour. Yang whipped out her scroll "I'm also sending a text to Weiss. I'm making sure you newbies aren't going to hurt each other."

"No, Yang. It's fine."

"Sent. You'll thank me for this later," Yang already bringing out the filer, Ruby hoping this is the most stressful part of the night.

*-Weiss-*

The heiress and the Faunus were in the back part of Beacon, leaning over the iron gates as the two were enjoying time alone as friends. "Why do we put up with these girl's shenanigans? I always like to think I'm the smart one, but I'm still with that girl."

"Maybe you're a masochist," Blake joked, a spry smile stretching across her face.

"Oh don't you even go there, Miss 'Ninjas of Love'. Can't believe you read that trash. You really enjoy reading it?"

"I certainly don't read it for the characterization and plot if that's what you're inclining." Blake placed her hand on the heiress, the cordial contact welcoming after the argument. "Don't feel like you're with the wrong person. You smile a lot more since you met her."

"You're a really good friend, Blake."

"Likewise, Princess," the Faunus buttoned, knowing the heiress wasn't fond of that title. The tender moment was interrupted as her scroll vibrated, Weiss taking out the device to see an almost cryptic message, '_Make sure your nails are short and filed or else._'

"Umm, Blake. I'm sure you speak '_Yang_' very well. What does this mean?" Weiss asked as she showed the mysterious message to her. As the Faunus examined it, her cheeks tinted and placed her hand over her mouth, the uncontrollable laughter barely being contained. "What's so funny?"

Blake collected herself, concealing her knowledge of the meaning behind the text. "Don't..." another spout of giggles getting out. "Don't worry about-about it. Give me your hands, though." The heiress did as she was instructed, the Faunus giving a quick run down of her nails. "You're good. I best go find Yang. I think she might need me."

"Well... well alright then. Nice hanging out with you," Weiss giving Blake a hug. With her mission accomplished, she walked back to the room having plenty of questions about the day.

"_Everyone has been sketchy today in some degree. Ruby booting me out of the room, Blake's secrecy, and Yang's active-aggressive message. It's one of those days where I should have stayed in bed to avoid all this confusion._" Weiss unlocked the door to the room, figuring out why one of her teammates was acting weird. With the sun setting, an orange glow hued the room to a lovely tone popping the red petals that were meticulously placed on the ground. The foliage led to the bookcase where a paper was folded, '_Read Me._' on the outside.

Weiss flipped it open to a few words inside. '_There's a rope ladder outside the window. Climb up it to see a surprise_.' The heiress had her curiosity peaked and, sure enough, found said ladder. She carefully maneuvered herself to it and scaled up the school. Surprise was an understatement when she saw what waited for her up on the roof. Ruby was sitting down on a blanket with a plate full of desserts and small field lantern. The leader had her face buried in her scroll, whatever was on it clearly taking all of her concentration as she hadn't even noticed Weiss' arrival.

"Ahh. Oh... Weiss. You're here earlier than I expected. I was about to send you a text," Ruby anxiously replied, the heiress feeling like she caught her girlfriend doing something mischievous. She let it go as she took a closer took at the spread. Lemon creme filled crepes, hot fudge brownies, and that one cookie at the bakery with the handmade icing she's been dying to have for the school year.

"So this is what you were up to when I was gone. This is really nice, Ruby," Weiss said, more excited to see sugary treats than she was as a child.

"Not a problem. Come on, sit." Ruby patted the ground wildly, Weiss taking her spot next to her girlfriend. The leader whipped out a couple crystal stems, the heiress knowing those were Yang's personal ones she uses for her dates. Ruby brought out a jug of orange liquid, Weiss impressed it wasn't the usual milk. She topped them both off and Ruby was the first to raise her glass. "To you."

Weiss, charmed at the maturity of it all, participated. "To you as well, Miss Rose." A small clang of glassware and the date already hit a snag as some of the orange liquid blotted Weiss sleeve. The heiress took a deep sigh. "This has to be some sort of record in how fast you can screw up a date."

"I'm-I'm sorry, Weiss. Let me get you a napkin," Ruby trying her best to soak up the stain.

"I guess another way to look at it is that it can only go up from here." Weiss took a quick review of the cleanup. "Thanks," she replied as she took a sip. It was sweet mixture, a few fruity blends opening her taste buds, but noticed the underlying bitterness of a familiar substance. "Is there alcohol is this?"

Ruby almost choked at the accusation, beating hard on her chest to get the rest down her windpipe. "Yeah, but umm... it's not a lot, just a dab of champagne. Yang suggested it." Ruby slugged down half a glass, Weiss peculiar about how quickly her girlfriend was imbibing the beverage. Before she could question, Ruby brought her in closer, the red cloak free breathing and pleasant to be wrapped in the summer air. Weiss wanted to argue, but seeing how much effort Ruby put into this dissuaded her from ruining what will be a good date. She quelled her thoughts for the moment, took a crepe and savored the delicious taste.

Weiss understood that this may not be Ruby's cooking, but she clearly spent some Lien on the quality of the items. The lantern added more of a romantic atmosphere than the sun setting in the distance as the night was coming. In between eating and the occasional kiss, Weiss and Ruby reflected on the past year with their first year at Beacon coming to a close. "I still can't believe we have three more years of this. I'm not saying that it was extremely difficult, but what else more are they going to teach us?"

"I don't know. I guess the best way to put it is that we're going to be professionals at the end of all this. Beacon never felt like school. Aside from actual training, all of our classes felt sort of the same. They are all building us up to be the best huntresses when we graduate."

"Yeah and there is still three more years of you I have to put up with," Weiss taunted, provoking Ruby to tickle her ribcage, the heiress letting off a squeal. "Stop or this will get ugly."

"Fine. I got sore because you think you have have just three years left. I would hope we go longer than that," Ruby sparked back, Weiss loving the optimism, but not the amount of glasses her girlfriend had drank, the heiress keeping a mental tally in her head and had now exceeded her curiosity as Ruby finished another.

"It's going to be a lot less than three if you become an alcoholic before you're even of age. I'm cutting you off for tonight," Weiss ordered, taking away the mostly empty bottle away.

"Sorry for alarming you. I'm nervous is all," Ruby confessed.

"Nervous about what?"

"I-I..." Ruby's gray eyes meeting hers. "I asked Yang if we could have the room tonight... alone." Weiss felt a shiver run up her spine as she learned what had been the underlying cause for this date. "I love you, Weiss and you said if the mood was right we could. But as we kept having a great time, I was getting more apprehensive because I'm afraid I'll do something wrong and Yang mentioned a little alcohol calmed the nerves. Seems I have a lot. I can't even feel my nose."

Weiss sat there, knowing Ruby was telling the truth, her slightly inebriated state making it hard to dismiss. The heiress put that comment out weeks ago as a joke, not realizing her girlfriend would be jumping at the chance with her mention of the subject. Still, Weiss couldn't lie and say that she too hasn't been thinking about having sex with Ruby, probably more so than than she let on. She at times did fantasize about the perfect first time, the current situation falling well below her standards. Weiss wasn't about to have sex though with this buzzed and demoralized version of her girlfriend. There was only one way how to get Ruby back to fighting form. The heiress cupped the leader's face, forcing her determined gaze upon the the worried girl.

"You were the one that told me when we started dating that it's alright to make mistakes. If there's anything you taught me this year, it's that lesson. If we go downstairs, I need you to be confident, not in some inane assumption in getting it right, but in that you're able to express your feelings to me physically."

Weiss' words had the desired effect as Ruby's spirit picked up, a warm smile a clear indicator. With her girlfriend's convictions at ease, all that was left was for the heiress to give the boost of morale to drive Ruby out of this haze. "Now kiss me."

Weiss lowered her head and met Ruby's lips, the heiress both delighted and regretting the amount of sugar they had consumed, the build up of saliva from the food gluing their kisses. Weiss' talk seemed to have Ruby performing better, but she didn't want this momentum to falter. She gently pushed away the leader, Ruby's expression calm in the dimmed light. If it wasn't for the sticky string of spit that connected the two it could've been beautiful, Weiss swatting it away out of disgust and almost ruining the mood.

"Ki-kiss me like you mean it." Weiss not wanting to let her nervousness show, but it didn't seem to deter the leader as she laced her arms around her, and deepening the kiss. Weiss didn't know how long the two were outside, the full moon on the rise as they spent the time kissing and tentatively roaming their bodies, Ruby not having to be encouraged to touch Weiss' more sensitive skin through the fabric. The heiress was finding that her thighs were more accessible that Ruby's, the ice princess pulling the top of her blouse and giving the leader's neck a kiss. It wasn't until Ruby had a girlish moan did Weiss remember that they were still outdoors, that small whine audible to neighbors below them.

Weiss broke momentarily to see Ruby's flushed face, not doubting hers was redder. "Perhaps we should go inside?" Ruby suggested, Weiss obeying as she followed her down the ladder. The room had a adult atmosphere to it as she entered, the moonlight creeping in, grizzling the red sheets of her bed. Ruby took her spot, Weiss taking a more risque approach and settling her seat in her lap, the heiress hoping her particularly boney butt wasn't digging into her girlfriend's thighs, and also a lot of many distracting thoughts running through her mind. All the actions that should be natural she was second guessing as she thought more about the endgame.

Weiss gently pushed back her girlfriend, Ruby's silver eyes surprised at the gesture. She was never one to admit a weakness, but it was a disservice to her girlfriend to keep it to herself. "Ru-Ruby..." Weiss having a shortness of breath from the session. "I can't keep up this kind of false bravado. I know what I said on the roof, but I'm... I'm nervous too. I had your best interest in mind when I was pepping you up..."

"Oh thank goodness," Ruby interrupted, the heiress startled at the sudden act of relief. "I don't know how long I could have kept up that act. I mean, check how fast my heart is beating," the leader bringing Weiss' hand to her heart. She felt the beats in her palm, the rapid pace matching hers until she realized her hand was firmly placed on Ruby's breast, her heartbeat increasing. The short-haired girl caught onto the situation, a flush running harder in her face. Weiss tried to pull her hand away, but the leader motioned forward keeping the contact.

Ruby held her gaze, Weiss shying away from the intensity. The leader brought her head to her shoulder, "I know it's awkward, but thank you for sharing your feelings. It puts me at ease knowing we're on the same level." The heiress soothed by her girlfriend's hushed words. "I know it won't be perfect, but it doesn't mean we can't still have fun in our way."

"Yeah. No problem." Weiss letting her jacket fall off her shoulders as Ruby was lightly marking them. The heiress shuddered at the stimulating brushing of her lips over the skin, the leader's head dipping, stopping at the top of her breast. "Wait. Boots."

Ruby frightened at the random comment, "Huh?"

"Take yours and mine off. We're going to dirty the bed enough as it is. I don't want black markings to go along with it," Weiss explained, Ruby catching onto the heiress' outbursts. She silently held her laughter as she undid hers and Weiss' shoes. Along with the footwear, Ruby unclasped her cape, her girlfriend magically maturing without that kiddish cloth around her shoulders. As the leader returned, she pushed Weiss back onto the bed, unclipping her hairpins out of her hair, the length sprawling on the red comforter.

Ruby ran her fingers down the white tresses, messing with the long stands as she was being pulled in for a lustful kiss. Weiss had her own fingers busy, undoing the corset and freeing the leader of the decorative garment. The heiress tugged at the bottom, pulling Ruby's dress halfway up her body before she took the rest off. She paused to admire the sight, her girlfriend in a black bra that was finely filled, a dream fulfilled as she always wondered what her underwear looks on her.

Ruby started pulling off her leggings, Weiss assumed out of hotness as the cool summer night was negated by the heat from the couple. As tongues were twining, Ruby tugged at the zipper to her dress, the heiress' breathing hitching as her turn was up. She pulled her hair to the side, careful not to get it caught in the teeth. Ruby drew at the waist and slid Weiss out her dress. An outbreak of bashfulness exploded on her face as she sat upright in her white underwear, arms still trying to cover up much of her body as Ruby unblinkingly was taking in the spectacle.

The self-conscious thoughts burrowed through her mind, unable to keep quiet she asked, "What's wrong?"

Ruby lost in Weiss' lithe form was broken out of her trance. "No-nothing," eyes averting from being so blatantly caught. "I didn't think you'd have such fancy lingerie."

Weiss was unable to suppress her snickering sigh, "It's called practical lingerie. When you have a bust as small as mine you can get away with appearance over functionality. I wish I had something more like yours."

The leader inched over on her knees, hand reaching out and cupping the small breast, a breath escaping as Ruby massaged the mound. "These are perfect," she whispered. "Besides if you were bigger, you wouldn't be able to wear any with these pretty floral lace." Ruby lowered her head to Weiss' chest, an experimental lick around the supple flesh as the two were entering a brave new world. The heiress shuttered from the feeling as her shoulders curled in, a strap hanging off as the apparatus was losing its fleshy frame.

Ruby tinkered around the back, the clasp harder to figure out when it wasn't hers. Weiss felt the fabric give way, her arm keeping it in place, timid of her partner's expectations. The leader's hungry stare had already been sampling the menu, her honest expression wanting nothing more than to watch the bra drop, her puppy-dog eyes wanting to please. The heiress was lured in with the purity and allowed the cloth to drop to her lap. The leader hesitantly pressed forward, tenderly enveloping the small pink bud in her mouth, the sensation letting out a whimper from Weiss.

Ruby looked up from the shocked outcry. "Is that good?" she innocently questioned, unfamiliar with the sounds of love. Weiss nodded back, her mouth covered, not wanting another impassioned noise to cause Ruby to stop thrilling her. The leader returned and continued playing with the heiress' breast, sticking her tongue out and running it counter to her natural swirl of her nipple, suckling on the end and driving her to a delirious plane of felicity. As her mouth was on one, her hand was on another lightly squeezing and rubbing the areola, Weiss instinctively holding Ruby's head in place, not wanting this new experience to stop.

"Ruby!" came Weiss barely able to collect herself for that utterance. Ruby attentively gazing at her girlfriend. "I-I just don't want to only receive," the heiress shedding some of the shyness as she requested to have Ruby to feel the same as she. The short-haired girl twisted her arms to her back, flicking her wrist and let her bra slide down her chest, Weiss taking a moment to admire the beauty before her. Ruby's alabaster skin glowed in the stream of moonlight pouring in the drapes, bleaching her black hair and highlighting her gracious curves. Weiss gave her pillowy lips a kiss, trailing down as she left pecks to the center of her perky pair. Weiss mimicked her girlfriend as she put out her tongue and ran it across the hardened bud, Ruby's breathing hitching as soon as she made contact with the soft mass. The heiress determined to memorize every detail of her girlfriend, right down to the bumps surrounding the areola as she indulged in plunging Ruby into the same delirium as her. Weiss comforted as the leader was holding back savvy moans of her performance.

Weiss' hands fumbled over her body, not knowing where to be and placed them on Ruby's waist, the lining of her panties a place to start and she rung her fingers around the elastic and sliding them down. The leader caught her off guard as she grasped her wrist, the ice princess taking heed. "I don't want to be the only one n-naked," she appealed, Weiss sympathizing with the request, and seeing as there was only one solution, placed her hands on hers.

As the last garments of monochrome were abandoned on the floor, Weiss felt a new form of vulnerability she hadn't experienced, everything hidden suddenly exposed. Her partner felt the same as she was hiding her lower half as best she could, the light peeking through the slits of her fingers to still give the heiress a preview. With nothing new to say, Weiss lay down, pulling Ruby on top of her, the leader propping herself on her elbows letting her nipples tickle the delicate skin as her breasts hung. As their lips mashed together, Weiss felt Ruby's knee slip through her legs and press against her center, a small gasp escaping as the heiress felt a jolt of pleasure emerge from the region. Her girlfriend slowed to test the waters, monitoring Weiss' reaction as she maneuvered her leg up and down, the heiress' hips moving on their own, grinding her clit into the firm leg. A sliver of shame occurred as her body reacted so readily to Ruby's touch, her wetness greasing the velvety surface liberally.

She was ready, motioning Ruby to her lower half, the leader carrying out the request and traveled south, dotting the slender frame and toned stomach. Weiss' body tensed as her girlfriend got closer, afraid she would strain a muscle with how stiff she was. As she felt Ruby's presence at her destination, she turned her head way, wanting to hide under a pillow to take away from the chargrin to have someone other than her gynecologist take such a inspection of her womanhood.

"I've never seen one this up close before," Ruby pointed out, flipping Weiss' embarrassment to anger as she leaned up to address her leader.

"Don't-don't be commenting on it, you dolt. Way to ruin the mood," Weiss offhandedly lied, thanking Ruby for stalling it so maybe she could relax.

Ruby came up, hands frantically waving away the indecent observation. "I'm-i'm sorry. It sort of slipped out, but it got me thinking. You didn't want to make a mess on the bed..." Ruby's face getting hotter as she continued. "...and-and you know there co-could be blood. But I don't have a more subtle way of asking, but-but have you br-broke your hymen?"

Weiss almost fainted from the personal inquiry as all her blood rushed to her face, letting out a few nervous coughs before answering. "I can't believe the inappropriate things that you ask a lady, but yeah. I had an accident when I was younger."

"Oh, no way. Me too," Ruby delighted to hear the news, surprising Weiss with both the expression and content.

"How did yours break?" Weiss asked, curious to know one of Ruby's well kept secrets.

"I-I was training with Uncle Qrow, practicing with a scythe in his garage. He left the room and he said don't be playing around without his supervision, but I couldn't help it. I picked up the weapon and just went in my own fantasy world, slashing Grimm, dispensing justice, and saving the day. Apparently, I knocked over some grease when spinning it around and I slipped and split me in half, literally. I felt this sharp pain down there and a quick check of my undies had found blood. My first reaction was to throw up, but first I had to clean up the ground or Uncle Qrow would know I was up to no good. Panicking, I grabbed a towel and soaked up the mess and threw my panties along with the cloth in the trash so he didn't find it."

Weiss couldn't hold it in, bursting out into laughter as Ruby finished, tears forming and finding it hard to breath as she couldn't stop. The heiress' laugh was infectious, having the leader join in on the humor at her own story, collapsing next to her as she found it hard to sit up. Ruby wanting Weiss to stop reveling in her humiliation, held her to her chest as she muffled her enjoyment. As she settled down, Weiss looked up, her leader's eyes twinkling in the light, and possibly the lecherousness of holding her nude body so close. With her partner being such a good sport about her story, Weiss thought that fair was fair.

"When I was out on vacation, we went to a our lake house. The water is so pure and the perfect temperature, not too hot and not too cold. So me and a couple of the others of this club my parents belonged to went water skiing. I was out having a great time until another boat came and dished out a wave that I ran into. I remember flying in the air one second and crashing down on my pelvis in the other. There was pain everywhere, didn't even think I broke it, but then I notice blood around me. So now I wildly look for a cut on my body, finding nothing and then it dawned on me where I was bleeding from. I was scared of a predatory fish finding me, but I was more scared of these people finding me. So I take off my life vest and swim for half a kilometer to a lonely part of a shore. I look down and my white bottoms are spotted, so I look for the nearest thing to cover me up so I steal a beach blanket from a woman who had fallen asleep sunbathing, wrap it around me, and call my personal servant from a pay phone to take me home. When my parents get home and find me safe, I get yelled at by them for giving an entire party a heart attack. I was grounded for a month."

Weiss counted down when Ruby would bust as she saw her face hold back the entirety of the story. Her girlfriend buried her face into the heiress' shoulder and sounded like she was in stitches with the fractured breathing. "You were... you were grounded for br-breaking your hymen on water." Weiss laughed at both Ruby's reaction and also the fact that the most embarrassing story of her entire life was a catalyst for balancing the mood in the room, the heiress relaxing as Ruby had her bare body pressed against her, embracing the unfamiliarity.

Weiss quelled the laughter with a couple lingering kisses, prompting Ruby to return as she was being nudged down with her forehead. With the heiress on her back, she locked her legs around Ruby's shoulders, anticipating each new touch as she was kissing her hips and inner thigh, drawing closer to her core. The leader's fingers combed the sensitive lips, the heiress gasping as they dragged over her clit. She felt the extent of her arousal as Ruby ran a finger down her slit, her breathing quickening as she stroked the receptive skin. Her girlfriend wordlessly distracted her with few kisses to her taunt stomach as Ruby entered achingly slow into Weiss' virginal cavern. Her walls tightened around the intrusive digit, the leader taking a moment for her to relax around the new presence as she slowly explored. Each involuntary reaction from Weiss peaked Ruby's perception, mapping out where her most erogenous zone with the calculated interest of a researcher.

A heavy moan broke past Weiss, Ruby seizing the desired reaction. A second finger entered, contorting like a rake and grazed the spot, Weiss' back arching with each progressive stroke, her ladylike properness unraveling as Ruby was making her near-drunk with pleasure. Her hands clawed the bed sheets as the leader picked up her pace, the heiress calling her name in ecstasy as her body rocked with Ruby's rhythm. As if it couldn't get any better, Weiss felt the familiar length of Ruby's tongue dance around her clit, an involuntary cry of passion surrounding the room as her mouth engulfed around the engorged bud. The leader placed a hand fixedly on her hips, steadying the heiress as her reflexive movement was making it hard for Ruby to lap up the fluid accumulating around the folds.

Weiss could feel her orgasm coming and openly received it as Ruby did a final dive into her, legs locking around the leader's neck as her juices erupted onto her hand and sheets. She fought for air as she let her climax ride throughout her, waves of euphoria colliding against her as she collapsed onto the bed, legs spasming and weakened upon her arrival. In the darkness behind her lids, she could sense Ruby creeping up the sheets, coiling around her body as breasts massaged her breathless sides. As she peeked an eye open, Ruby was lovingly caressing her cheek, brushing her sweat-soaked bangs out of her face as she warmly smiled upon her.

"You hope I taste as good as you," Ruby lowly said, Weiss knowing that his was her first attempt at talking after sex, but wanted to curb this.

Through shaken breaths, "your mouth... continues to ruin mood... I think we need to work on your pillow talk... more than your technique. Where did you learn that?"

"We're both girls. I kind of just did what I do to myself plus the mouth part. That was heavily encouraged," Ruby explained, Weiss blown back at the obvious answer. She reached up to cup her lover's face, eyes determined to return the favor.

"You give me three minutes and I'll show you what I've learned over the years," the puppy-like eagerness spurred in Ruby, inciting an attack of love on Weiss neck.

The heiress kept her word, taking her girlfriend to the same blissful completion, a small part of her ego flaring as she saw Ruby in such an open state, the entirety of her given to Weiss just as she. As good as both their turns were, and wanting nothing more than to continue, both also wanted to revel in the moment, knowing this can only happen once and were content in celebrating early. The couple had their bodies entwined, Weiss' hair thick with sweat plastered on their bodies perpetually connecting the two, icy orbs at a constant meeting with Ruby's, her whispering sweet nothings accompanied with the occasional short embarrassing story of sexually blooming youth. As time passed, Ruby gave the first yawn.

"Tired?" the heiress asked.

"Yeah."

"Well, you have had a longer day planning the date and all." Weiss linked their hands and drew Ruby closer, the leader being lured lower as she nestled her head on the heiress' chest. She smirked as she saw a peaceful smile stretching across Ruby's face, knowing it was her heartbeat that put her to sleep the fastest. Weiss wanted to say her final sentiment before her girlfriend had drifted too far asleep. "I love you, Ruby."

Ruby dove her face into her chest, trying to get her lips as close to Weiss' heart as she left a pucker to her breast. She rolled her eyes at the youthful improv, secretly liking the unparalleled, weird relationship that she has with Ruby. "_I guess the act of growing up didn't change you. Good. I wouldn't change anything about you, Ruby Rose, my lovely little spaz._"


	18. Blake: Keeping the Fire Alive

Thank you all again for the continued support for almost a full year. This update is ten days before the one year anniversary of the first post, so I'll save the majority of all the love and praise for next chapter release. Anyways, happy new year and hope everyone's year is going well so far. My artist Bakki has finished a White Rose pic and will be posted soon. It commemorates the last chapter of Ruby and Weiss' first night so don't have people looking over your shoulder when viewing it. Follow/fav/review is appreciated.

Blake: Keeping the Fire Alive

Blake's team-imposed exile to the dorm room was a weekend that she wouldn't forget, if she could remember it better. A lot of the time was a bit blurred, the Faunus' grasp on her reality feigning in bouts as the heat was running its course. Blake didn't know what kind of sounds were being heard beyond the door, hoping she wasn't scaring people as they were passing by or worse, having some of the rambunctious youth take a listen.

A few weeks had passed since then, the Faunus fondly recalling how her girlfriend stepped up and gave her the space she needed. The constant reminder being the soreness in her wrist when Yang would grab her hand, Blake sure she got carpal tunnel with all the wrist work she had performed in the span of a few days. She looked back to the day the team returned, the blonde making a big enough entrance, but the Faunus' was even bigger as she leaped into Yang's arms, so relieved that she was her again in her eyes.

As she thought more about it, the more she realized how supportive her girlfriend is. That weekend could have been so different if Yang had chosen to ignore the tearful confession and satisfy her own desires. Blake did have to admit that the outcome wouldn't be the worst possible, but seeing Yang want what she wanted, despite having the the upper hand, forced her into a more angelic light. The Faunus wanted to be as self-effacing as the blonde, her girlfriend not giving her many opportunities with her less tumultuous life.

Blake knew the time was soon, though, as she saw Weiss and Ruby getting closer to that point in their relationship. The Faunus didn't like being a secret satellite that was around when the younger couple was getting physical, but judging from the pattern, it wasn't going to throw her for a surprise. Blake was overlapping it to when Yang and her were reaching that point and the many similarities were all pointing towards Ruby and Weiss kicking them out of the room. The snuggling when they knew Blake was buried in a book, the way Ruby's antics are making Weiss smile more instead of frown, and free flowing of displays of affection that seemed to dip to inappropriate when the leader felt like being cheeky like her sister.

It was a calm summer afternoon, Blake reading while eating alone, telling Yang that she was not to be disturbed as the latest edition to 'Ninjas of Love' was out and she wanted to finish it. She was pleasantly enjoying the new entry, but also wished this was in her possession when she was in heat. It would have been great fodder in all the right ways as the protagonist was slowly being driven to orgasm with a mixture of pleasure and pain, Blake 's toes curving just thinking about introducing some of these techniques one day with Yang.

"Hey Blake," the familiar voice of the heiress came next to her, Blake fearing Weiss caught her reading her smut again. "How's been your day so far?"

"Just curling up with a good book."

"You better not be curling your fingers. You don't have to hide it. I know what you are reading," Weiss fired back, Blake feeling some tension leave her muscles as she was allowed to have her novel out in the open.

"Then you would also know that I am not to be disturbed today." Blake raised the book back to her face, already reading the next line before Weiss put her foot down.

"I know that policy about you and reading, but this came from Ruby. She told me to spend some time with you," the heiress' comment bringing Blake back to the conversation. "She said that we'll probably be going on double dates more often and doesn't want an awkward atmosphere between us."

Blake wanted to counter with something positive about their relationship, but deep down the base relationship they have is teammate and the next level would be their girlfriend's sister's girlfriend. Friend would be stretching it. As much as she wanted to dive back into a world of ninjas and sex, getting to know Weiss better wouldn't be a bad way to waste time, especially when Ruby was personally requesting it.

"Yeah. My eyes can use a break. Did you have anything in mind?"

"Want some ice cream? Take a walk around the garden perhaps?" a small meekness to her voice as she proposed to Blake. Weiss graciously paid for the treats, herself getting a rich vanilla and the Faunus having a strawberry swirl. Blake was finding how true the heiress words were as they were barely making an effort at conversation. After the usual of checking up on the new events, the chatting became almost mute, most sounds coming from either was the slurping of the melting frozen dessert.

"_I feel responsible for this distance between us. We did have a rocky start that was never fully stable after my reveal as a Faunus. We sort of got wrapped up in our partners that eventually became our girlfriends. I guess it's easy to let a few connections take a seat by the wayside as you're pursuing romance. Maybe I was taking the whole team idea for granted as well, knowing she has to be there regardless. Even so, I can't help but feel this unresolved tension... oh no it's melting on my hand._"

Blake lapped up the sticky residue as the pale, pink liquid dripped along her hand. "How many times did you get that comment of grooming yourself when you didn't wear the bow?"

Blake didn't know what Weiss was commenting on until she saw her tongue half way out her mouth, licking the back part of her hand. The heiress handed the Faunus a tissue, the taller woman flushing from letting the instinct come out so readily. "You don't want to know. I've heard it all. Wouldn't be surprised if you've heard everyone of them."

"I have. Father was never one to tighten his tongue around the help or around me when I was young. 'I should probably pay them in cat food, lest they spend it on drugs.', 'The one with the dog ears smells like a wet dog even after a nice shower.' And my personal favorite, 'These extra features is what makes them extra dangerous. This is why we keep them down.' My father is unusually cruel," Weiss morosely confessed. Blake saw a kinder side to the former bigot, also one that felt regret in her former treatment. The Faunus wanted equal treatment, but not at the expense of guilting others, something even the former White Fang were culpable of.

"It's not your fault, Weiss. You grew up different. Even people who didn't grow up with a father like yours, grew up in a society that sided with his beliefs. We're probably too headstrong to admit it, so I'll be the first to say it, we feel responsible for making the other feel worse about how they were brought up. We can't do that, Weiss, or this is all we can be, this barely functional relationship. I propose we rip on each other. We let all this pressure out because the more we do it the less it matters," Blake offered, the heiress hesitant, but pondering the Faunus' recommendation. She didn't know if Weiss would take the bait, her changed stance on the matter making it hard, not wanting to return to her prejudiced thoughts.

"Did your mother just have you or is there a litter of kitten Faunus like yourself?" the heiress piped up, the confident stare of knowing she might have struck a nerve. Blake had a small grin smearing across her face, a part of her wanting to dig into the heiress and the other part wanting to earn a true friend.

"How many Faunus bled their fingers to tailor your dress?" Blake snapped back.

"Please rate this from a fear rating of one to ten, the vacuum cleaner," the heiress aimed lower, the Faunus loving nothing more than her fierce tongue not holding back. The girls had a back-and-forth, hands becoming part of the ice cream themselves as they were concentrating on insults. Like performers trying to one-up the other, someone had to call it, the roasting having the desired effect of good, dark humor bringing them closer.

With the atmospheric stress dissipated, both girls felt free to talk what they wanted, Blake bringing it back that perhaps one day they could be sisters-in-law. "Does it scare you that a Faunus could be barely related to you with a legal binding," Blake teased.

"So long as it's you, it wouldn't be terrible. But you're jumping way too far in the future for me. The idea of marrying Ruby hadn't even crossed my mind once. I know we live together now, but I cannot fathom how much that girl will test my patience when it's just us. I can just imagine snacks sneakily hidden around the home which will only bring ants when she inevitability forgets where she hid them."

"I'm apprehensive of being alone with Yang as well. After the honeymoon phase of shagging in every room at any time is over, and we're forced to be adults momentarily, does concern me. I wouldn't put it past Yang to use her charm to lure me in to distract me and get her out of doing chores," Blake admitted.

"Why do we put up with these girl's shenanigans? I always like to think I'm the smart one, but I'm still with that girl," Weiss shouted out, Blake glad that the heiress is speaking freely about her emotions.

"Maybe you're a masochist," Blake joked, a spry smile stretching across her face.

"Oh don't you even go there. Miss 'Ninjas of Love'. Can't believe you read that trash. You really enjoy reading it?"

"I certainly don't read it for the characterization and plot if that's what you're inclining." Blake placed her hand on the heiress, the cordial contact welcoming after the argument. "Don't feel like you're with the wrong person. You smile a lot more since you met her."

The smile returned was as genuine as the frown she gives Ruby when she uses her semblance to sneak kisses. The icy orbs warmed the Faunus' heart. "You're a really good friend, Blake."

"Likewise, Princess," the Faunus buttoned, knowing the heiress wasn't fond of that title. The tender moment was interrupted when her scroll vibrated, Weiss taking out the device, confused to the contents.

"Umm, Blake. I'm sure you speak '_Yang_' very well. What does this mean?" Weiss asked as she showed the mysterious message to her. Blake was immediately taken back as soon as she read '_Make sure your nails are short and filed or else._' The couple had come back from a few weeks of training, so there was, of course, no beauty regimens as they were out on the field. There was also no sex with the many cameras around the Emerald Forest, so the Faunus was feeling rather frisky upon return. As Yang was in the mirror, brushing out her long locks, Blake worked on seducing her girlfriend from behind. The blonde was immediately receptive to her touch and melted into the Faunus' hands. After a few minutes of nipping and nuzzling, she decided to take it a step further and slip a finger inside her girlfriend. Yang shrieked as the Faunus coiled her finger inside her, her long unkempt nails causing such unreal pain in her girlfriend that she now consciously checks to make sure they are both safe for play.

Yang may not find the story funny, but Blake doesn't hold back whenever her partner brings it up. The Faunus is apologetic, but loves to tease that story in private, mocking the heightened squeal of her usually self-assured partner. With Blake almost in tears laughing, Weiss had to comment, "What's so funny?"

Blake collected herself, concealing her knowledge of the meaning behind the text. "Don't..." another spout of giggles getting out. "Don't worry about-about it. Give me your hands, though." The heiress did as she was instructed, the Faunus giving a quick run down of her nails. "You're good. I best go find Yang. I think she might need me."

"Well... well alright then. Nice hanging out with you," Weiss giving Blake a hug. Blake reciprocating, watching the heiress head back to the room, knowing she would emerge a new woman before sunrise. As comforting as the thought was of someone growing up, she knew someone who wasn't. Blake brought out her scroll and sent a quick text to Yang.

"_Meet me at the airfield._"

Blake knew they couldn't stay at Beacon. The city of Vale closes around two, but the Faunus knew she had to keep Yang's mind off the subject longer than that. Judging from the first time Ruby mentioned sex to the both of them, she felt the magnitude of the comment as it threw her girlfriend for a loop. With the act actually happening, she knew it was going to be different, her premonitions realizing themselves as she saw the blonde moping down the side of the building.

With her hands in her pocket, head downcast, and none of the bounce in her stride, Blake worried it might be worse than she predicted. As she met her violet eyes, she knew Yang was taking it hard, the Faunus restraining herself to prod the issue out, finding it be better on her conscious if it came directly from her. The blonde shifted her stance looking as if she had done a grievous measure to the relationship. "So umm... we can't go back to the room tonight. Ruby... Ruby wants to use it."

Blake heard the soft gravel in Yang's voice, the blonde more distraught than she was letting on. The Faunus delicately grabbed onto her girlfriend's hand, guiding her to the airship as it arrived. "Let's give them some privacy and have some fun then." The ride was silent, Yang letting out the occasional sigh as she was thinking about her sister. Blake didn't know what to do. Not having any siblings was making it hard for Blake to find any words that could ease the situation. The most she could do was wait for the sun to set and have her favorite place be open for operation.

Blake still had an extreme disdain for clubs. They are noisy, filled with creeps who thought buying a drink was an invitation to grope her, bad music, and not a place to find meaningful people. The only reason she ever sets foot in one is for Yang. It's not necessarily either of their scene, but the blonde was a surprisingly graceful dancer, Blake finding out when she was dragged onto the dance floor and even her amateurish footwork was saved by Yang's lead. The Faunus found it sexy that she could command her in such a fashion, leading to some late night rendezvous in the training room for less than violent practices. It took awhile for Blake to get the courage and dance in front of a crowd, but being taken out of her comfort zone was incredibly enriching. Though, she could do without the cat calls from the immature men watching as if they've never had an internet connection before.

They got to the club, the solid white building with a few spotlights showcasing the sign bright and a long line already in queue. Yang apparently has never heard of the etiquette of lines and walks straight in every time, Blake following next to her as the people outside groan at the sexist preferential treatment. The Faunus didn't like it either, but it's not like Yang could hide her features well enough that some perks would disappear, Blake certain even a batting of eyelashes could earn her a free drink.

They walked past the bouncer and into the dimly lit lobby, the music already blasting out of the burnt out speakers before they entered the floor. A long hallway ahead of them, a few people already finding the new one-night stand and causally making out in the dark pockets. The main room was lit a with a few cross-vectors of blinding, white lights created by the slits in the pillars around them. In the corners, Blake saw that the VIP tables weren't vacant as the usual sleazy high rollers were surrounded by women and bottle service. They have left Yang and her alone luckily after word got around what happened at Junior's.

The main dance floor wildly changed color as the neon lights flickered across the scape, bodies wildly grinding and flailing to the bass line. The hint of sweat, cologne and perfume coating the area as the night was just beginning. There was a small enclave next to the bar where the casuals could enjoy a drink without it costing five hundred Lien. Yang took a seat in the corner, Blake noticing a forced smile behind the sad eyes. The Faunus decided that a drink would loosen the dancer in her by drowning the negativity with alcohol.

Blake came back from the bar with a couple whiskeys and coke, Yang stirring the contents and nursing the drink as she cuddled with her girlfriend. She may have had an arm wrapped around her, but the Faunus felt it an automatic motion as she saw Yang so lost in thought. Her attempts at making conversation derailed as the blonde was not keeping up. Blake didn't like getting up again as she kept getting pushed down. If Yang wasn't going to talk, then maybe she can express herself differently.

Blake cupped her girlfriend's ear. "Let's go dance," she shouted. Yang not as enthusiastic as she was hoping, but nodded in agreement with the Faunus' proposition. Blake strutted onto the floor, walking with the confidence above the tiled-lit floors. She turned to face Yang and started moving her hips up and down, gliding her hands across her body as the heat was having it glisten with sweat. Yang seemed to like the taste, smiling slightly as she was doing a top-down of Blake's curves moving rhythmically to the music, the blonde following suit and bringing her body closer.

The Faunus liked the turn of events, spinning into Yang's body and continuing to work her hips into her girlfriend's pelvis. She reached behind her head and caressed her shoulder, teasing her way up and tickling her face, Yang responding by finding her hand on Blake's lower half and exploring her firm physique. Not wanting to give Yang the upper hand just yet, the Faunus turned to face the blonde, her lead had her spinning and taking a small dip, Yang fully supporting the weight of her girlfriend. As Blake was brought back up, she wrapped a leg around the sturdy figure, cupping her face and brushing the hair that was plastering to her face. A brazen influence taking over the Faunus as she pulled her lips to her girlfriend's, overlapping and lustfully wanting more until the unmistakable remix of Ruby's favorite song came blaring over the speakers.

Blake heard it and stealthy attempted to cover Yang's ears, but was too late as the blonde broke away. What she expected isn't what she received as she saw a frightened look in the blonde's irises. Yang let go, stumbling herself out the rear exit with Blake not far behind. The blonde took a few deep breaths as she reached the crisp outside air, the Faunus rubbing her girlfriend's back only to be rebuffed.

"I'm sorry for back there. Sort of got transported to a dark place, or if Ru-Ruby took my advice it's dimly lit," Yang admitted, Blake knowing she was still hung up on her sister's plans. She didn't know what to do next, most shops and activities closing as they were in the club. The Faunus was sinking with her girlfriend as she was seeing her best efforts go awry. With Ruby and Weiss taking control of the room, she was going to have to get creative, Blake about to go against her moral code and do something she might regret as a last ditch effort to take Yang's mind off of things.

Blake grasped Yang's hand, coercing her to follow with a careful stare of consideration. "Follow me. We're going to take a small field trip."

The blonde didn't resist as Blake took the lead. As soon as they were out of the public's eyes, they were jumping from rooftop to rooftop, the couple a feint blur as they made their way to the hills. The Faunus never knew why the wealthy always built atop of hills, especially considering how constructing a house and a pool on such a landscape would be the biggest hassle. Back in the rascally days of youth, the word around the ghetto was how much better the homes on the hills were, a young Blake looking upon the homes with marvel and envy. Eventually one day, she convinced the lot of their friends to just go up and break into one of the mansions, claiming no one was there with the immeasurable amount of traveling some of these people do. Whether it was for business or for pleasure, a few stake outs had her word verified, and when they felt safe, jumped the fence and had a party. These aristocrats security system were laughable as they were able to walk in and around without getting caught.

The holiday had to end at some point, one night being caught red-handed by the occupants and word spread like wildfire that the Faunus youth were breaking into homes for debauchery. That was almost five years ago, Blake counting that the paranoia scare was a thing of the past and the gate wasn't electrified. As the couple reached the estate, Blake motioned her girlfriend to lower herself, the blonde mane hard to hide amongst the streetlamps and lighting, but it was vital not to get caught with the goal just beyond an iron barrier. She peeped over the top, no new guards and clanged her knuckles to gather the attention of dogs. The sound of silence gratifying as the Faunus reached over and unlocked the door.

"Blake, I love you, but mind telling me why we're doing this?" the blonde harshly whispered.

"It's just around the corner," she replied, the scene more gorgeous than her memory. The garden was dimly lit by the bulbs along the cobblestone walkway, the pool a crystal blue as the lights were finely lighting it to a placid hue, the vegetation giving off an oasis-type feel, a personal paradise for a night. Blake was drawn to the control panel, and like a memory game was flipping the switches to turn on the heater.

The Faunus reached the edge of the pool, wading her hand in the water, the temperature almost too warm.

"Blake?" Yang delicately asked, the Faunus feeling that it was now or never before she loses the courage to do what she was about to do.

Blake tossed off her boots, unbuttoned her vest, and pulled down her leggings, mentally pushing herself to remove the next cloth. "_I can't believe I'm going to do this. This is so not in my nature to be such an exhibitionist. I don't even like personal displays of affection when they are so open._" As she got to her white top, heart beating wildly from the partial insanity, she took a deep breath and took the plunge. "_You know Yang would do the same. Granted she would be compelled at the idea of me being nude, but she goes above the calling for what constitutes a girlfriend when it comes to Faunus ordeals. One, two... strip._"

*-Yang-*

She felt her heart skip as Blake's white top was pulled off her head, taking a conscious breath as her shorts peeled off her lithe form. Yang watched as the Faunus' hands made the unmistakable click of the clasp being undone, Blake instinctively covering her breasts even with her girlfriend behind her, the side view alluring as Yang was being reeled in. Eyes fixated as Blake shed her last garment, her shapely, blanched behind softly glowing in the silver moonlight.

Before Yang could even react to what was happening, Blake dove into the pool, the blonde inching closer to the rim as she was captivated by the scene. As the Faunus breached for air, her wet tangles catching to her round face, amber eyes shining through the breaks as she ensnared the blonde with her stare. A hand came out of the water, finger curled, beckoning for the blonde to join her. Yang, so dumbstruck, almost missed the obvious signal. So enamored by the Faunus' performance, she slowly removed her clothes, leaving an orange and brown mess crumpled on the ground next to her. Stark naked in the radiance of the moon gave a spurt of much need pep in the blonde's step, joining her girlfriend with a graceful splash.

Yang drifted towards to girlfriend, the Faunus playfully avoiding her advances as she glided across the surface. The light reflecting against the water flickered on their faces, Yang becoming ever more devilish as her partner was being obscured by the whimsical illumination. The blonde had cornered her lover, entrapping her in her influence and seized her lips, the Faunus aggressively accepting her capture. In the intoxicated state of lust, Yang still didn't forget to remove the most oppressive accessory, her hand snaking up Blake's head, and taking off her bow. Yang's hands tenderly roamed the slick cat ears, Blake laughing into her kisses as she was being fondled. The blonde stretched down, lifting her girlfriend's lighter body up, supporting her with her thigh as it found its place between the Faunus' legs, Blake roughly grinding as the resistance of the water was adding a new sensation that was dominating her senses.

Yang adored her love making with Blake, but she did find herself taken out of sessions when it became too rough in the water. Her blonde mane becoming a nuisance as the Faunus' fingers would often get tangled in the wet mass, the kink losing its appeal with the sudden pain. Tonight was no better in the pool, even the taste was all wrong as the chlorine diluted and altered the taste she memorized. With her mind out of the session, she could see with transparency of what Blake was doing, Yang never felt such love swell within her as she knew the straits she was putting herself through to get this far.

The blonde placed her lips one last time before interrupting their intimacy, violet eyes drinking in the rosy expression of her lover. Yang lowered her head, nibbling the Faunus' neck, leaving a small mark before her lips skipped up to her ear. "Thanks," she spoke softy, unsure of whether or not Blake even heard her gratitude with the humming of the generator. She knew Blake's plan was to be all about Yang, but with her girlfriend being so big-hearted, the blonde couldn't help, but want to turn the tables and give Blake her reward a sooner than expected. Flowing down to her jawline, she nibbled on her ear as she made more love bites, letting it be known to the world that Blake was hers. She felt the Faunus melt in her hands as she let out an appreciative moan, Yang just getting started.

At least that's what she thought as the lights flicked on in the house. Like a deer in headlights, both froze and awaited the impact of embarrassment. A breath of relief rushed out of Yang as she saw the occupants moseying about inside, the man looking partially annoying by his woman. The blonde didn't care as she saw the opportunity for a clean escape. She guided Blake back to the edge, climbing out the most difficult part with the sopping mess of their hair making the most noise as it dripped on the concrete. Each grabbed at the pile, gathering as much as they could in their arms as they tip-toed out the back.

In the dire need to getaway, Yang saw Blake's bow still abandoned. As she was reaching to grab it, she felt like she was being watched, cringing at the sight as the female resident was seeing her body glimmer in the lights. The blonde didn't know what to do and smiled and waved, hoping it would be enough to get her out of this predicament. It didn't end in her favor as the woman brought out her scroll, no doubt calling the police for breaking and entering.

"Book it, Blake," she loudly whispered, the two making their way out of the hills and back down to the Vale downtown. Getting caught and the ensuing breakout giving the blonde a rush that she had missed from today. They ducked into a dark alley, the city mostly empty aside from the occasional car passing by, the girls hurriedly dressing in case of another inconvenience.

As she put on her yellow top, Blake pressed her face into Yang's neck, the forceful nature pressing her back to the brick wall. "What's with this?"

"Wrap your arms around me and warm me up. Putting on clothing while soaked isn't the smartest idea when it's cold," Blake responded, Yang not second guessing her girlfriend's plea and embraced the shivering Faunus, pulling her in tight as she released her aura, a brilliant yellow glow encapsulating her and Blake as she felt the goosebumps around her recede. A grateful kiss was placed on her neck, Blake marking her as she had back in the pool.

As their bodies and clothes were drying off, they dressed each other, something Yang never thought she would do. "Hey, I'm sorry for the downer I've been today. I know how hard you were trying and... and in any other situation it probably would have worked. I really appreciate that bravery back there. It kind of put everything in perspective."

"Don't worry about it. I told you I would distract you when the day came. Just don't expect that again. I can still feel my heart pounding in my ears," Blake conceding her own fears, Yang correct in her assumption.

Blake finished accenting her bow, Yang coming from behind and giving a last heating before they left their makeshift dressing room. "Mind if we take a walk on the mild side?" Blake nodded, Yang keeping her girlfriend by the waist as she resonated the heat between them. The park where she took Blake for there first date was nearby, Yang setting a course to look back at what seemed like a distant memory. It was only six months ago on that fateful day when Yang took a step up and took Blake on a date that she would never forget, all the blood, sweat, and tears paid off as the Faunus gave herself to Yang that night.

That was three months into their relationship, Ruby taking over double that time to show her love in a physical manner. With this imminent thought hanging overhead, Blake deserved to hear the whole story, not just the face details. "Is it alright if I think out loud?"

"Go ahead. I'm listening."

Yang took a deep sign not knowing where to start, but thought the beginning is always a good place. "I remember a few months back, that day when Ruby caught us in the morning and that small mention of sex when we were apologizing to her. I know I showed a small hiccup in my mood that you were able to catch, but it burrowed in me. That realization that my baby sister was actively thinking about sex and I know it's weird, Blake I'm sure you've thought it. Why should I care? Sex is a part of a relationship and the second she started dating Weiss I knew it was bound to happen. I'll be the first to admit that Ruby and I's relationship isn't just sibling. I practically helped raise her."

Yang and Blake reached the place where they built the snowmen, something she was familiar with when growing up. "I remember the day Ruby came home from school and Dad had to break the news that Mom was missing and probably wasn't going to come back. I held her all night. She couldn't stop crying and Dad and I were doing our best to be strong for her. Dad shut down and we lived with Qrow for a bit after as Dad found himself to not be fit a parent. The verdict is out on whether he made the right decision, but I trust him. After that, sister wasn't my only role in the house. With Ruby having lost Mom, I had to take an adult role many times, especially when he was out on business. The countless sick days, home-made food, knee scrapes, holding her in my arms as she had a bad day at school and punishing the bullys the day after. She always had this dependence on me because she was this socially awkward kid, always threatening her big sister will do something about it and I always would."

The conversation lead them to stroll around the community pond, the couple taking a bench as Yang continued her story. "It's now, though. Now that's she's here at the academy, am I seeing her come into her own and become an adult. When she became our leader, I couldn't have been more proud of her, a partial narcissistic pride that I helped get her there because she was mine. It wasn't until later, when I saw that I couldn't aid her in being leader, Weiss picking up a lot of the slack, was when I felt this pit in my stomach. This feeling of pride mixed with sadness that I can't describe better, but I knew why I was feeling it. I love our relationship, even if I had to take on more than one role. I love Ruby and it's been hard to relinquish my motherly role as she continues to grow into an adult, sex being a big step forward in that direction."

Yang hated the silence that followed, her ears not liking hearing her sad and pathetic reason she's in a depressed mood. "Sorry for rambling like that. I must sound like a crazy person."

"That wasn't rambling," Blake spoke up, head nestling in the crook of Yang's neck. "You spoke honestly about your feelings and I didn't mind the back story. I always knew you two were close and I never thought ill of your feelings. Sex is a pretty big deal for anyone and I could tell you were having your sister's best interests in mind. It's why I didn't interrupt you. I'm an only child, I don't know what kind of feelings I'd have if my siblings were going through this. It's also why I didn't say anything. There isn't anything for me to say that would comfort you. Only your words could."

Yang always knew Blake was the smarter of the two, her introspective answers always surprising her with the amount of examination put behind them. If her girlfriend hadn't pointed it out, she probably wouldn't have guessed that she was therapizing herself. Blake was there for Yang to unload on, the blonde feeling some of the weight lift from her shoulders with the realization. She brought the Faunus in closer, digging her hand firmly to her toned love handles as the two peacefully watched insects dancing across the pond water. After such a chaotic day in her mind, the absence of sound was welcomed with all the voices in her head now quieted after her venting, Blake and Yang back to their own world. In the moonlight, she noticed the Faunus doze off in her arms, Yang checking her clock and shocked at how late they were out. Before she let the sandman take her too, she propped her girlfriend up and headed to the nearest hotel.

Yang wished her girlfriend wasn't falling asleep in her arms, the nearest hotel costing more than what she had on hand, having to charge her credit for a night's stay. When she got up to the room, at least the price was justified by the luxury. It was certainly better than their dorm room with a large queen bed, television, and balcony. They got undressed, a small perk to having a place to themselves was being able to sleep in the nude as Blake's bare body slipped underneath the covers, Yang following suit as she curled up behind her.

"You sure you don't want to be the little spoon? Aren't I supposed to be comforting you?" Blake asked, voice muffled in her pillow.

"You've done enough tonight. Besides, you know I like burying my face into your hair," she said as she took a big whiff, forgetting that the chemical stench of chlorine was lingering along her follicles. "Well... maybe not tonight. Your usual lavender scent has been washed out."

"Turn over then," Blake shifting her girlfriend around, Yang finding she might have jumped the gun at being fully recovered, feeling soothed as Blake's arms wrapped around her thin waist. The Faunus rested her head in the golden locks, not complaining about the chlorine like she was, knowing Blake liked her natural scent.

Even in the secure arms of her lover, she still couldn't fall asleep, mentally tossing and turning as she drifted in and out of sleep. The times she was able to get back to sleep was taken to dreams where she and Ruby were back as kids, the halcyon days of childhood, the thoughts that those innocent days of youth that can't be repeated haunting her. As she laid in bed, she knew it was necrotic, her lucidity of her neurosis not as encouraging as she hoped.

Before long, the sun broke through the drapes, Yang unrested, but alert with the rays of light resetting her internal clock to awake. Wanting to stretch her legs, she gingerly released herself from Blake's grasp, making sure the Faunus was still in a peaceful slumber, a small drool line the giveaway. Yang grabbed a complimentary robe from the closet. With Yang's height, she doubted it would efficiently cover her up, but it was going to suffice.

As she stepped out on the balcony, she realized why her room cost so much, the view of the ocean and Vale Pier spectacular in the dawn. She leaned against the iron railing, the long night rolling over as the new day was starting. "_Ruby couldn't have been pushing me out harder before she was beckoning Weiss to the room. Unless the heiress had some hangup about losing her virginity to my sister, then it's over. At least Ruby can't get pregnant and throw me for a whole different loop. I don't think I'm ready to be Auntie Yang._"

Yang jumped as she was ensnared from behind, the Faunus wrapping her arms below the blonde's bust, placing her chin on her shoulder. "Come back to bed. It's early."

"I will in a little bit. Sorry for waking you."

"It's fine. I tried going back to bed, but I couldn't leave you out here to sulk. You're my responsibility still," Blake assured, a hint of enjoyment of her care taking burden. The Faunus grasped the back of Yang's hand, "I know it's been hard, but if anything, there is a silver lining to this. As Ruby steps more and more into the adult world, where problems are complex and frightening, she's going to still rely on her big sister, trading in knee scrapes for housing options. It may not be as hands-on, but she's always going to need you, Yang."

Yang knew Blake was right, but the change still too soon, knowing she'd adjust eventually. "I suppose you're right, but I really should be thanking you more. I didn't think the day could get better, or in fact kind of be fun. I don't know how this would have been without you around."

"I can still make it better," Blake lowering her voice to her sultry tone. "I know this may not be the best of times, but if you're up for it... you did leave me unfinished last night," Yang's attention focusing like a laser as she was inclining to what Blake was insinuating. "Or perhaps, maybe you would like to be my pillow princess and accept some special servicing."

Every part of Yang's body was to carry Blake back to the bed and pounce on the opportunity, but her mind was not up for the challenge, too fatigued from the last twenty-four hours. "Another time, but kudos for trying. You know what absolutely sounds great at the moment? Room service and laughing at early morning infomercials."

Yang was guided back to the bed, the blonde contemplating if they could get free food if she flashed the bellhop, the Faunus' overprotective stance adorable whenever she threatened lewd conduct with anyone else. Yang already figured that what's another hundred Lien to their already inflated bill and ordered half the breakfast menu, the blonde prepared for a food coma and sleep the rest of their stay in the room away with a full stomach.

As they waited for the food, Yang took a spot resting up against Blake's breasts, which was a pleasant change of pace. Usually, she lets the Faunus get her way, claiming her place on Yang's bosom '_her_' spot, the blonde abiding as she loved to see her girlfriend's expression as she snuggled against her pillowly mounds. With the trading of places, Blake ran her fingers through Yang scalp, the blonde finding the petting motions oddly cozy, nuzzling her Faunus with her own tender actions. "_This is how Blake normally gets treated? Too bad my sister can only lose her virginity once, then. This is nice. Or rather, it's nice because she was committed to keeping my mood afloat. I will always appreciate you keeping my embers alive._"


	19. We Love You, Monty

Given the light of the a death in our family, I felt that I should throw in my two Lien to the mourning period. I never met Monty Oum in person. He, like most of the Rooster Teeth Family, I have observed and grown to love from the internet. I'll keep it short because I can't say I knew the man. I was not his friend, his co-worker or family. Like most of his followers, I was a fan, and we idolized him for his creation of RWBY.

RWBY is the reason, I'm writing this. Why you're reading this. Monty created something so inherently special that we all want to be a part of it in more than just consuming it. It's funny how our love for RWBY can be so different from our love of other things. There's a lot of thing I enjoy. I love Skittles, but never entertained the idea of becoming a candy maker. There is something creatively inspiring about the RWBY universe for us in that we don't want to just watch it and enjoy it, but make it. There's thousands of fan fictions, art, cosplay music videos ect.. If there is something a person is passionate about, I'm sure they've attempted to adapt RWBY to it.

The moment one of us sat down and typed out that first chapter, sketched that first line or sewed that first stitch into their costume, and starts to make up their own story, is when it becomes participatory culture. It's when we start playing it when we say that this universe is bigger than the screen we watch it on. The world Monty created is so much fun to play in. He has given us an enormous sandbox to play in. As a grown man and here I am still playing in it. It's when we participate is when the project becomes bigger than itself and a community is created and I've enjoying being a part of this community since I started participating.

I started writing this fan fiction about a month before I was dumped from my long term relationship. In the coming months, I battled from a bout of depression with the fallout after, but writing kept me afloat in my dark times. I may be digging far more into what is supposed to be an action-adventure internet show, but he gave us a new mythos to understand ourselves and possibly our world. Though the wonderful cast of characters he created, I have been able to dissect and validate the question, was I happy? I was and working more through the story I know I'll be happy again. It's about touching on something sublime and universal about human experience and Monty did it flawlessly. How many episodes touched our hearts, blew us away with the masterfully-choreographed action or made us laugh? How special was it simply to get home from work or school and stoked to see the new episode waiting for them then discuss with friends that you made through his creation?

Monty is survived by his family and loved ones, but his spirit also lives on in us fans and the staff at Rooster Teeth. Whatever episode or scene first inspired us to do something creative, we have him to thank for it. RWBY is endless enjoyment that shapes who were are as people, props us up when we're down, or even something to kill time with. However you consume the media, how much we participate in it, it started with that spark. The age old question comes to mind, if he was here, what would you say to him? For me, it's thank you for what you did as the creator and as a person. We all love you as much as fans can love our cherished creator. We miss you. Thank you for everything. Goodbye Monty.

- RandomHeroX


	20. Team RWBY: School's Out

I know the current air of the fanbase is still fairly dismal, but I do need to take this time to thank all of you who read this. Between updates, the anniversary of when I first posted pasted and I can safely say that, holy fuck, I never expected this story to ever be as well-received as it has been. Nearing 600 followers is something I never conceived as a possibility, but here we are now, 18 chapters in and plenty more story left to tell. Again, thank you. Here's to the next year of story. Cheers. Also, I will take down the tribute to our beloved Monty eventually. It's posted elsewhere, but I wanted to post here first for those that follow. Side note, these next few chapters of the story will have all four girls perspectives. I tried something experimental, it was fun, but I will be going back to the old ways after this small arc.

Team RWBY: School's Out

Ruby spun her pencil around her fingers, the answer at the tip of her tongue as she was staring at the question for the last five minutes. She wanted to mark down any bubble and leave, but she was going to kick herself if she looked at her notes later and got it wrong. She glanced to her side, an empty seat where Weiss used to be was a painful reminder that she should have been more focused when the two were studying.

After the night she lost her virginity, the leader finally realized why Yang and Blake constantly are kicking them out of the room for sex. Making love with Weiss was beautiful. It was the first time she had ever let herself be that vulnerable, the first time she was actually able to truly be a lover and express her love on a whole new deeper connection that only bonded her and Weiss stronger. If she were honest with herself though, the bottom line, is that it felt really good. The most exhausting battles with Grimm and the sweetest cookie couldn't compare to the euphoria that was coursing through her as the heiress was so gentle with her intimacy. With the night repeating constantly in her mind, any of Oobleck's history lectures were having to fight for attention with Ruby's saucy memories.

"_It's white linger... no I mean it's the white armies, right? Normally I would have some mnemonic device for memorizing generals of armies, but all that seems to come to mind is sex. I feel gross. Gross... Grossman. That's the answer!_" Ruby furiously bubbling in her last answer. She flew down the steps, handed in her exam, and flashed stepped out of the classroom. A few rose petals from her trail made it into the dorm room as she shut the door behind her. She found her target, the long white ponytail spinning around at the sudden commotion.

"You are going to give me a heart attack one day if you keep slamming the door that harshly. Is it so much for you to whoa..." Weiss interrupted as Ruby tackled her to the bed, laying small kisses on the protesting princess. "Alight, I get it. You love me," Weiss steadying the leader as she held her face. Ruby gazed into the icy orbs. What were propping up a scowl a second ago were now relaxed and pleased to see the leader.

"And you love me," Ruby replied, lowering her head until her lips touched Weiss'. The leader took the reigns immediately, the innocent kissing picking up as she was entering the heiress' mouth, the slick taste of her lover she desperately was craving was now hers and she was going to gorge herself on the flavor. Weiss responding well as she laced her arms around Ruby's waist, The leader wanted more, though, her thoughts involuntarily creeping her hand under the white-haired girl's uniform and hand traveling south down her chest.

Weiss immediately put a stop to Ruby's shenanigans, the leader anticipating such a reaction, but disappointed she was caught on too quick. "You know the rules, Ruby. This isn't our room and Blake will be coming in the room soon with Yang not far behind."

"I know. I'm sorry, Weiss. It's just... as I was looking at the calendar, the month off seemed like a year in terms of not being able to see you. We have no time over this weekend to be together with all the stuff we have planned with friends. This was the tiny window of opportunity we had and maybe I was hoping you had the same feeling," Ruby's eyes growing big, her downcast disclosure making her feel worse that she was attempting to manipulate Weiss.

The heiress braced the leader onto her knees, hand cradling hers as she spoke. "Don't get the wrong idea. I have been thinking about it too. I've actually been thinking about it so much, that I think I have the perfect solution," Ruby's hope lifting at the statement. "I have a summer home, and not the one you're thinking of, along the coast. It's secluded, near a small town, and it can just be us... and the many help that would aid us. I know it's probably too soon to be having a major vacation together, but if you're up for it, I'll make the exception."

Ruby's excitement exploded, her embrace pushing the air out of Weiss' lungs. "Talk about an end of year surprise. You're the best, Weiss."

"The school rankings reflect that statement," the heiress proudly boasted, Ruby feeling the confidence ooze out of her final exam answers."But it's nice to hear it from you. I wasn't forgetting about us when we were studying. The last date's ending was... pleasant, to say the least, and that kind of pleasantness should be had again."

"And again," Ruby added, a cheerful ringing in her reply.

"And again on our own volition, not by some schedule for once," Weiss buttoned, Ruby's mind all over with the ideas that she had floated in her head, school and lack of privacy being the chains that stopped her from being so spontaneous with her love. Although she feels more adult, this trip alone was just another step to solidify that aspect in her mind.

"You're right. This is going to be awesome!" Ruby squealed.

"What's going to be awesome?" came the familiar voice from her sister at the door. As Ruby turned attention, both Yang and Blake returning from the exam. The leader wanted to keep her vacation plans to herself, any more patrons possibly tainting the small piece of paradise, but Yang was her best friend and sister. Hiding such information felt like a betrayal to their relationship and everything that Yang has been to her.

So what came out was "Well, you know... Weiss and I were just thinking about talking about some things that could be like next week or something and they may or may not pertain to you maybe."

The room stood in an awkward silence, Ruby embarrassed that she could be so bad at lying. The blonde spoke first. "Weiss, is something wrong with her?"

"No. What I think happened is that my girlfriend here got over-excited when I invited her to spend a few weeks with me at my summer home. She naturally accepted, but the offer I extend to the both of you. Yang, Blake, I'm sure a few weeks on a sunny beach wouldn't be the worst way to spend the break together, even if it's with us," Weiss proposed.

Ruby glanced over to Weiss, the leader shocked at how generous the heiress was and how selfish she was from trying to monopolize time for her own salacious needs. "We were thinking about going someplace for vacation, but we're a little Lien-poor at the moment. Mostly because she is a spoiler and I have told her multiple times to be better with money," Blake offhandedly scolded, Yang bolstering a huge grin on her face from being outed.

"All those little charges sure do add up over time. But if you're offering, then it's hard to say no. Free room and board is a hard bid to pass. Thank you very much," Yang accepted.

"And food. You won't have to spend any Lien outside unless you so choose," Weiss buttoned, a little bit of her pride eking out with how well received her idea was. As she took the temperature of the room, Ruby was the only one dissatisfied with the results. Now with Yang on the trip, it felt like a family vacation instead of one with her girlfriend.

The heiress sneaked up next to Ruby, cupped her ear, and whispered. "It's four bedroom and bathroom. We're going to have plenty of room and privacy."

Before Ruby could even react, Weiss was already off the bed, and searching her scroll for photos to show Blake and Yang. The leader felt her spirits lift from the comment, the idea that Weiss was able to notice her discontent with the new situation and rectify it so quickly was encouraging to the leader. "_Almost a year ago, she wouldn't have anything to do with any of us, but now she's taking all of us on vacation. Seems she's better at having her cake and eating it too than I am. My mind shut down as soon as Yang came into the picture. Maybe I am growing up a bit too fast, Weiss having controlled her urges long enough to make such a thoughtful plan. With her being so altruistic, maybe I should be too. This can be excellent team bonding along with the many times it will be Weiss and I... alone... in a bedroom. Oh stop it, Ruby. Yang is going to see the blush._"

The leader quickly joined in on the others conversation planning, hoping to take her mind off of sex so she can concentrate on what lay ahead. After seeing how big and expansive the estate was, Ruby felt even more confident in her girlfriend's words, knowing full well Yang and Blake would be taking advantage of the spacious area for their own fun. "_This is going to be the best vacation ever!_"

*-Yang-*

Yang picked up Ember Celica from the bottom of her locker, she was both amused and discouraged at the many scuff marks and battle damage it had collected over the last year. "_You're in need of a good polishing and maintenance over the break. We had our hands full this year, but I feel we efficiently burned through those problems._"

The blonde placed her weapon in its casing, removing the other hygienic products before going to her pictures. Blake hated the cliché of having a couple's picture in her locker, but she figured that it would be secretly in here or all over her desk in the room. The Faunus picked the lesser of two evils and was glad as Yang picked off one of the more embarrassing pictures of Blake drooling on her pillow after Jaune's birthday party.

As she packed the precious memories, she picked up one that made her pause for more than a second. After the first successful mission as a team, Ruby was determined to get a picture of all of them, singed skirts, bruises, and all. Weiss was the biggest opponent to such an unrefined picture, but her little sister was going to get her way. As Yang pondered on it more, this could have been around the time when the two started developing feelings for each other. "_Ruby was just a kid then, still... still innocent. Shake it off. I'm going to be diagnosed with some complex if I don't adjust to the fact she's growing up._"

Yang was about to close the locker until she remembered the secret picture she had of Blake. It took a lot of convincing and a little help from a extraordinary bottle of wine for her girlfriend to take a special picture. The blonde originally was going for something a lot more sexy, but she took the more meaningful route and was able to take a picture of them two kissing without Blake's bow. Angling the camera was hard, but not wanting to tote around the cute image was even harder. She already had dipped her feet into hot water with Faunus racists. No need for her to make more trouble for Blake.

The blonde closed the locker. With it finally empty, she carried her luggage back to the dorm room. It was crazy to see all of the students leaving their rooms, boxes lining up against the wall, almost leaving no room to wade through the mess. If there was one solid perk that came with the team, it didn't have any hangup about leaving one another. As she was getting closer to the room, she could hear Nora across the hall, her bubbly attitude bursting into tears as Ren was not going to be around her for the next month. Even if it was for a few weeks, she was glad to have the team around a little longer, if only to repair the rift between her and a certain heiress.

Entering the room was disappointing to say the least, Weiss the only one in sight meticulously packing away the many dust vials in her suitcases. As the heiress noticed the new blonde presence in her room, her eyes shrank and busily returned to her task at hand, the tension already making the air awkward. "Where's Ruby and Blake?"

"The limo will be at the airship's station soon. I asked Ruby to bring as much as she could so the last trip will be with me. Blake assisted her as it was quite a load for one person," Weiss answered, consciously not making eye contact with Yang. The blonde was disheartened by the body language, but noticed the massive disaster of clothes that still was on her bed. It was time to multitask.

Yang recently bought a suitcase, not realizing that the handful of stuff she would bring to Beacon would grow just enough for her not be able to carry in one load. As she slammed clothes and books in, she was fighting for words to say. "_This is my fault. I have to fix it, but what am I to say to her? It's not like she did anything wrong. If anything, she did everything perfect. Ruby seems to be glowing after it all and it's only been me that's been having trouble with it. Baby steps. We say one thing before she leaves._"

"So how long will it take for us to get up to the house?"

"Give or take three to four hours," Weiss replied, Yang shocked at the estimated arrival time.

"I was not expecting that. I don't think I can sit that long in a car, no matter how luxurious," the blonde admitted, hoping to lighten the mood.

"It seats eight normally. I think all of us can take a nap laying down if we wanted, especially if we couple-up and use each other's laps as pillows," Weiss claimed, making Yang cringe at the thought of Ruby having pillow talk on the heiress' lap. She heard the clasps fold on Weiss' suitcase and she piled it on the four she already had. Yang finished fast, preferring to unpack the disarray later than waste time packing it neatly.

The blonde sat on Blake's bed, observing Weiss on her scroll doing anything, but try and talk with her. Yang had been more brash with subjects that were far more personal in the past, she wasn't about to let this one get the better of her.

"I'm not mad at you," Yang announced, Weiss confused as she directed her attention to the blonde.

"I'm sorry, but were we having having a conversation?"

"No, but we are now," Yang said as she stood up. "I know how weird I've been to you this last week. One could say I'm having a hard period of adjustment for what happened. I don't know how much Ruby has told you, but I hope she mentioned how proud I am of her for being so mature about every step she's taken, especially with you."

"Then why avoid me if you have nothing, but praise for me?" Weiss standing to meet Yang in the middle.

"It's because Ruby has been practically my responsibility for almost a decade. You may have a sister, but Ruby felt like more of my kid some ways and I've been having trouble letting go, is all. I like how special our bond is and I knew it had to strain as she were to explore the world. I actually knew it the second she and you became partners. Seeing you and her work together, rallying the team, and eventually becoming a couple hurt to watch at times. But I don't hate you, Weiss, despite my actions this past week."

Yang's confession had a desired reaction, dismantling the tension as the heiress fought to put up her usual scowl, still keeping a hard demeanor. "Thanks for sharing, but believe it or not, I've heard a similar statement like that before from my parents. What I thought was finally genuine words that were coming out of them were nothing more than a sentimental parting gift for the magazines as they had a secret PR stunt for the papers to show the Schnee heiress attending Beacon to become a huntress. I believe you, Yang. I really do, but you're going to have to do a bit more than just say what you mean. I expect you to show it. Agreed?"

Weiss extended her hand as the olive branch. The blonde didn't like the heiress' tone of voice, but she had the right to be so miffed, if not from Yang's actions, but her parent's past travesties as well. Yang took the invitation willingly and shook the heiress' hand. "I have two weeks. Not a lot of time, but I think I can think of something."

"Sounds good," Weiss smiled broadly, Yang reciprocating as the door opened, Ruby and Blake back from the airship drop off, the leader quick to notice the friendly gesture.

"What's with all this girls? Are you making a bet?" she enthusiastically asked. Yang was quicker to find an alibi than the heiress.

"You know it. Weiss here says she will go the entire road trip without a bathroom break and I know her tiny bladder can't handle it," Yang antagonizeingly declared, the lie getting an annoyed stare from the heiress, violet eyes begging her to play along.

"Yeah, your sister greatly underestimates me," Weiss deadpanned, not happy with what had to be said to keep their moment confidential.

"You do use the bathroom a lot, Weiss. I think Yang may have you on this one. What's going to happen if you lose," grey irises in amazement at the mischievous gamble.

"Grab a suitcase and I'll tell you along the way," Weiss ordered, Ruby happily obliging and fetching two rollers and a handbag out the door. Before departing, the heiress turned towards the couple, "I know neither of you are good about being punctual, so I'll say this, please don't make us wait too long."

Yang watched as the heiress disappeared behind the closed door. Not wanting to make her more disgruntled with her, she went to finalize what was left in the bathroom. Upon crossing the threshold, she felt a hard tug on her scarf, the Faunus' lips pressing tenderly against her nape, a guileful hand sneaking its way up the blonde's trim waist and past her jacket.

"Oh, hello. What's going on here?" Yang playfully acknowledged, body leaning into the intimate embrace.

"You know..." breaking for a kiss, "just following rule one."

"I would love nothing more than a quickie, but you heard the Ice Queen. As fast as I am with my magic, the last thing I want is a four hour ride with Weiss vehemently staring us down," Yang letting out a small gasp as the Faunus' other hand was snaking its way to her chest.

"I was thinking of more of a fully," Blake purred into her ear. "I think you forget that you are the only one of us with not only a license, but also a vehicle," Yang catching to what was being communicated. "I'll send a text to Weiss right now telling her we'll take Bumblebee in a few hours so we can have some fun before we leave."

The blonde was having her libido take over rational as Blake was stripping her of the tan jacket, Yang loving whenever her Faunus' friskiness would make her more dominant. The brawler bent into for the Faunus, arm coiling around to bring Blake's head closer, Yang pecking her coral cheeks. "How much fun are we talking here?"

Blake spun around the blonde, unbuckling her skirt . "Enough to hopefully..." she muttered into Yang's neck, the brawler fiddling around with Blake's vest button and white top as she was being pleasured. "Keep you from violating the heiress' hospitality and soiling our guest sheets."

"You know there's not enough time in this day to keep me from you for two weeks," Yang whispered, disrobing Blake's top, revealing her lacy black bra. "Ooh, the fancy stuff today. Somebody came prep... aahh." a gratifying moan escaping Yang, unable to compose her thoughts as Blake heavily pet her bare center.

"I understand..." Blake breathed out as she meticulously placed kisses around the blonde's ample chest, a single finger pulling down her yellow singlet, a hefty bounce as her breasts heaved in her crimson bra. "But it was worth a shot. We'll buy a hotel when we need it..." Blake caressed Yang's face, her gaze diverted to the radiant amber orbs of the Faunus, the amount of lust on the surface knowing what was in store for the next few hours. "My treat." Blake went in for a desirous kiss. Before Yang gave into the Faunus' influence, she reminded her of the text that would no doubt be forgotten in a few seconds, giving the blonde precious time to shed her lover's clothes and direct both of them to the shower.

*-Blake-*

The Faunus took another bite out her anchovy-mushroom pizza, the many chicken bits that accented the already heavenly taste she had to thank her girlfriend for recommending so long ago when the ritual post-sex pizza became a staple of their lovemaking. "You are so lucky that anchovies are actually not that bad. This pizza thing wouldn't have taken off if we were always debating on the third topping," the blonde pointed out.

"The only downside to this is that every time I pass a pizza shack in the downtown, I get horny," Blake commented, the two sharing a laugh with mouths full of the cheesy treat.

"I'll give you this, though, considering this is the end, I do see you're point about not having sex at Weiss' place. Even if it's not her cleaning it up, I'm sure her maids would appreciate not having to," the blonde mentioned, the Faunus having to take a once over at the sex-soaked chaos. The comforter lay halfway on the floor, moist footprints coming from the bathroom, which Blake didn't even want to go back into with how much was tossed about on the counter. The sheets she sat on being a mixture of sweat, water, and their secretions, their cuddle puddle still damp where they lay. Not to mention that Yang likes using the sheets as a napkin, reddened fingerprints ran along the side as the meal continued. "Also, you are exceptionally sopping the sheets these days."

Blake harshly shoved the blonde's head at the tasteless remark, falling again for Yang's teasing only to get a sprightly rise out of the Faunus. In their loving scuffle, a globule of red sauce spotted one of the blonde's breasts, the Faunus quick to lick her finger and clean off the morsel, Blake wincing at the unsavory taste. "I'll admit you've made sex better, but not the sauce."

"You've made life better. Beacon and all the hassles over the last year wouldn't have been as enjoyable if I didn't have my feisty Faunus by my side," Yang reflected, her tongue-and-cheek attitude about the year had a more resounding effect than intended, the Faunus couldn't agree more with what was said. Yang reached behind her head, scratching the back of her cat ears, amplifying the smitten feeling Blake was already having.

Feeling full, she placed a half eaten pizza in the empty box, curling up to the bare blonde as she cozied up to her supple curves. Yang was quick to notice a Faunus getting too relaxed in her chest. "Don't get too comfortable. I have to go grab Bumblebee in a few."

A loud, disagreeing grunt came from Blake's throat at the news. "Right when I was trying to fall back to sleep. Should I shower?"

"My answer is no for two reasons. One, we're going to be driving up the beach, so unless you want to take three showers today then I suggest you wait so we can wash away the sea air. The second..." Yang lowering her voice, barely audible to Blake as she spoke, "...I really love the way you smell after sex. It's the sweet combination of you and me."

Blake wanted to protest, but she's been guilty many a times of getting one last whiff of her lover just before she enters the shower. Instead of taking offense, she buried herself into Yang's neck, the mixture of citrus and vigor still heavily present, the Faunus not realizing she was being lured by the scent as Yang climbed off the bed. "It can't be time already," she begged, knowing the answer.

"We're well past the time allotted. Expect a fuming text message from Weiss on the way there. I got to get going if we're going to make it by dinner," Yang explained, dressing herself as fast as she could, struggling against the layer of perspiration that coated her. Blake knew the time was up, getting dressed herself as she still had light packing and some greasy trash to take out before leaving.

"You sure you don't want me to come with you?"

"Nah. Just kick back and enjoy a book while I'm gone," Yang kissing between the Faunus' ears. "I'll send a text when I'm close. Be at the other station by then, alright."

"Go before you end up back in this bed," the Faunus warned, the thinly veiled threat she was going to act on if her lover wasn't out the door soon.

Yang departed, leaving a few minor chores for the Faunus to deal with. After she turned in the room key, she walked down to the airship station. Roaming the halls and spacious campus was odd, but pleasant to the introvert. She enjoyed the warm air on the summer day, following the scuff marks of luggage as hours earlier it was lined with students wanting to get off campus and start their vacation. Blake was probably the only one wanting to stay on campus the most, Beacon being more like a real home with a family than her impoverished Faunus neighborhood.

Blake sat quietly at the station's bench, reading a book, but often distracted by her own thoughts, thanking Weiss for this small gift so she can be in an escapist paradise before returning to her reality. She checked her watch occasionally, wondering why Yang would be taking so long getting back. As Blake was about to give her a call, a loud humming could be heard from down the road, increasing to a roar as the motorcycle approached her. Clad in her aviators and orange-flared helmet, Yang sported a self-assured smile as she popped the kickstand and descended the vehicle, Blake knowing she thought she was too cool with her entrance.

"Hey there, little lady. Come here often?" Yang using the worst of pick-up lines that had a smile growing on the Faunus as she admired the spiritedness of it all.

Blake picked up the suitcases as Yang brought out the ties and locks for the luggage. "What took you so long? I thought you blaze down the highway when you ride her?"

"I did, but I also made a pit stop. I looked at my ratty, old spare helmet and thought that maybe I was due for an upgrade, so I went helmet shopping. While I was there, I got this," Blake watching her disappear and reappear with something purple lobbing towards to face. "Catch!"

Blake's reflexes were on par as she caught the plum-dyed helmet in her hands. As she examined the headgear, admiring the dark design, she noticed two hard points protruding from the top, ears perking up under the bow as she connected the dots. "These are for my ears," she gradually deduced, perplexed at the suddenness of it all.

"I figured that if you were wanting to go off campus more, you would need a helmet yourself, a helmet that wouldn't squish your ears down. I went to a Faunus-friendly store and they had that on the shelf. I couldn't pass up the chance even if I wanted to. Do you like it?" the blonde's eyes glowing in anticipation for her response. Blake tactically examined the helmet, the feline add-ons rending her heart as she saw the attentive carefulness to Yang's gift. She wanted nothing more than to take off her bow, put on her helmet, and ride with Yang, but she looked towards her girlfriend with a dishearten expression.

"Yang... you know... you know I can't wear this. It reveals who I am," Blake softly reminded, the glow in the blonde's smile turning upside down.

"Oh... right."

Blake quickly went to her girlfriend, the helmet between the two as the Faunus attempted to lift the spirit she hurt. "I love this. Don't get the wrong idea as I am unbelievably taken by it and I hope one day soon I can wear it, but today's not the day. I'm sorry."

Yang wrapped her arms around the Faunus. "Don't be sorry. The overzealous nature of the idea made me forget a very important aspect to our relationship. I shouldn't have been a ditzy blonde for a moment and thought about it. It's fine, though. Attach it to the side of Bumblebee and we'll head out."

A small kiss was shared between the two, Blake saddling up and wore Yang's spare helmet, the blonde taking out her classic one for nostalgia purposes. Blake new she was defending her feelings, but it's not like she could wear anything else. The Faunus latched on the blonde, not willing to admit she was a little anxious about going fast speeds on a vehicle that balances itself with two wheels.

"Ready?" Yang yelled back as she put on her shades.

"Yeah!" Blake shouted back as she fought against the sound of the motor idling beneath her. The blonde revved the engine, released the brake, and blasted off away from the station.

Blake held her eyes closed as her body adjusted to the force behind the vehicle, glad she had her girlfriend as a windshield for the more than the obvious reason. The ancillary reason is that the engine beneath her pulsated at an enormously fast pace, Blake finding it hard to not hit new plateaus of pleasure as Bumblebee caused her nethers to throb. The Faunus dug her nails into Yang's stomach, finding a way to keep her from climaxing. "_Have to take my mind elsewhere. In a plain? A cafe? Professor Port in nothing but his boxers. Alright, that seems to be working, unfortunately. I would like to not have that fat, mustachioed man dancing around in my head for the next few hours. Maybe nature can distract me?_"

As the two hit the highway, Blake was taken aback by the majesty that was the deep blue ocean. The sun hung above the horizon, sundown coming down before they were to arrive at Weiss' house. The rays casting against the ways were enchanting as the occasional sailboat would cruise across the seascape. Although she knew the winsome ocean air would dry out her hair, it was nice to have it whipping in the wind, the odor of a fish market making her crave some exquisite crustaceans that the heiress' home was probably stocked with.

Even with the breathtaking scenery and her out-of-shape professor shimmering around her mind, she still had to monitor her arousal, her underestimation of the motorcycle making this road trip idea backfire in her mind. She requested a rest stop, Yang finding a small town to turn off into. Blake leaped off Bumblebee, ecstatic to have a break from that contraption.

"_How dare she says she is the better lover? I'd probably last longer too if I had been riding that thing for a few years and was numb to such basic techniques,_" Blake hotly thought, Yang interrupting her hateful monologue.

"Want some waters?"

"Yes please. Nothing more than an oversized vibrator," she muttered under her breath, Yang not picking up on what her girlfriend wanted.

"What was that?"

"Yes and some gum," Blake properly replied, then returning to her bitter ranting about Bumblebee.

*-Weiss-*

A discontented growl came as the heiress read the text message from Blake. "I knew it. I should have been more firm and left with them."

"What's wrong, Weiss?" Ruby alarmed at the sudden outburst.

"Your sister and Blake will not be joining us because someone got the bright idea to take Bumblebee up to my house. We've been sitting here waiting for fifteen minutes. The least she could have done was tell me so we wouldn't be wasting time," Weiss seething as she nestled herself in the corner of the limo, Ruby crawling along the seats in an effort to cool the hotheaded Ice Queen. Weiss was quick to rebuff the leader's hand as it reached for her shoulder. "Don't touch me."

"Just trying to help," Ruby calmly replied, not wanting to exacerbate that irritated heiress. "Look, I know you want to blame Yang for this one, but she would have told me if she had any inclination of taking Bumblebee out again."

"So you're saying is that I should direct my anger towards Blake?"

"No. I mean yes. No... I take that back. Be angry, yes, but don't be singling out my sister because you and her are at ends," Ruby pleaded, Weiss not expecting that kind of perception from her girlfriend. The heiress directed her attention to her leader, eyes big, knowing Ruby had a lot to say, but afraid to speak it with the situation so tense.

Weiss felt like she ought to be as mature as Ruby was aiming to be. "How could you tell?"

"Because being two years younger than you doesn't make me blind. I noticed this week how Yang has been treating you and you're not some angel yourself. My sister has thick skin, but even she would probably have a problem with the remarks you were making about her, or rather our upbringing. It's also a red flag when the 'social' one of our group becomes anti-social to another."

Weiss hadn't taken into account that when she was offhandedly attacking Yang, that she was also hurting Ruby as well. The heiress did have to give credit where credit was due, Ruby was no child and couldn't hide her from a fight that she was involuntarily in between. "I'm sorry. I said a lot of that reflexively without thinking. I hate playing the victim card, but your sister is the one that started it."

"I know she started it. There isn't a scenario where she doesn't. I was always scared that Yang's over-protectiveness would eventually show itself. I'm more relived that it's now than when we're getting married or something," Ruby specified, the straining of the conversation lessened as the heiress heard so candidly that her girlfriend was thinking that far into the future of their relationship that marriage was already a possibility.

"You need to move a bit slower for me. First things first, your sister, graduating, job and then maybe marriage."

"Maaaybe marriage?" Ruby cluing in on the overlooked aspect of her nuptials.

"I didn't mean to put is so far down the list of importance, but... let's say job is the highest obstacle in the future. Basically anything past that is in such a fog that I don't even bother thinking about it. I know how ironic it is for me to think about a job, but being a huntress was my decision to restore some honor to the family name, I was only lucky that it was a noble endeavor and I enjoy what I do immensely. After graduation, I still have to go back to the company, and jump through a million hoops to still retain power there, see what I can reverse that my father has ruined, but also do what I love and be with who I love," Weiss finished, grasping Ruby's hand.

"I didn't mean to pester," the leader's eyes filled with remorse, Weiss too familiar with her woeful expression.

"It's fine, Ruby. There's a lot of bureaucracy behind the scenes that I won't bore you with, but that all needs to sorted out before I can positively look towards something like marriage. I don't expect you to be thinking about my future. I'm just really glad you're looking out for ours," Weiss disclosed, glad to see her words have a beneficial impact, her girlfriend's grey eyes lighting up to their usual spark as she smiled. "You can touch me now."

Ruby took the invitation readily and nuzzled close into Weiss' body, the heiress taking comfort in the fact that she would be there, no matter the situation. "We all have our baggage. It just seems a little bit of mine fell onto you."

"Don't worry about Yang and I. I can't disclose too much, but there was a talk and we're going to figure this out, hopefully before the end of vacation. But I'm not going to rush it," Weiss told, not wanting to divulge too much as Ruby was in the middle of it all. The leader brought her head up enough to kiss her on the cheek.

"Speaking of rushing... we'll probably be alone for a few hours when we get there. I don't think we'll need to rush... Ouch," Weiss cutting off Ruby with a solid flick to her nose.

"I thought you were tired because you were up all night thinking about how we'll spend the days. There will be plenty of time for it, but not if you're half asleep," Weiss called attention to her girlfriend, not willing to admit she was having similar thoughts under her initial rage with the text message. Ruby took to laying down, using Weiss' lap as a pillow, the heiress too awake to join her girlfriend.

The view from the tinted window was doing an injustice to the scenery outside, Weiss longingly gazing at the grandeur of the force of nature, dwelling on the thoughts that Ruby unintentionally unearthed. "_If it were up to me, I probably would go marry this girl after graduation. I wouldn't even think twice about it, but... but I know Mother and Father will not like it. It's not like they could stop me, but the company will be my responsibility sooner than I think. Just because I'm not exactly on friendly terms with them, doesn't mean I can let the company that my forefathers built suffer. Anything to prolong that inevitable fight I welcome. Luckily, they don't care enough to visit me on campus. They probably don't even know I'm on vacation so I can keep this relationship parental-drama free for a little longer._"

Ruby shuffled about in her sleep, her head seemingly wanting to live in Weiss' crotch. "_You and your sister are related. Even when you're sleeping you're still persistent,_" Weiss hotly thought, temper cooling rapidly as she saw the peaceful face of her girlfriend, the heiress finding it hard to stay mad when her slumbering innocence would bleed through. "_No more, alright. At least I never have to worry about you leaving. If anything, it's me who has to be afraid of being too skittish if push comes to shove. But if it ever turned out that distasteful, I might make sure that you couldn't return to me._"

Weiss wiped a tear as pondering on the worst-case scenarios of the future were overwhelming her. "_If I have anything to say about it, I won't leave either._" Weiss placed a kiss on Ruby, hoping she would never have to go back on that promise.

The heiress didn't realize how fast time flew as the driver alerted her to almost being at the compound. As they were passing through the iron gates, Weiss had forgotten how beautiful the property was. With her parents owning several houses, the only one she knew as home was the Schnee Estate, but the rest of them were beautiful in their own picturesque charm. Pulling up to the driveway was like going through a carefully manicured forest. The trees and plants all a healthy green and just tall enough to have the top of the buttercup yellow exterior of the house to be peeking over the foliage. Over the ridge, she could see the ocean a hop, skip, and a jump away, the sun still hanging gracefully in the sky partly blocked by the clouds.

As her eyes were glazed over with the wonderment of the next few weeks, she noticed a very expensive car parked outside the garage, Weiss' heart sinking as she was matching the license plates in her head. "No. No. No. This can't be. Driver!"

The privacy window rolled down as the heiress beckoned him. "Yes, Miss Schnee?"

"Why-why is that car here? Did my parents give any sort of notice that they would be visiting?"

The driver taking a quick overlook of his scroll, "Umm... none that were penned to the calendar. What a pleasant surprise."

Weiss peered down, frantically thinking in overdrive as Ruby was still resting on her. "Ruby. Ruby! I need you to wake up, sort of, now!"

The raised voice of the heiress, along with the soft peppered slaps to her cheeks, brought Ruby out of her sleep, confused and overly alert. "Wha-what's happening? What's the emergency?"

"I'll tell you what the emergency is. My parents had the same idea to come this weekend to this home and I haven't told them that I'm in a long-term relationship with someone like you."

"Ohh..." Ruby's sharpness focusing on what had been said. "This is bad, isn't it?"

"This is potentially disastrous," Weiss hiding both her and Ruby under the window, scoping out the building as the limo was coming to a complete stop.

"_They have twenty homes. How is it they pick the one that I wanted for this week? This is usually where I try and calm myself down, but I know how volatile my parents can be with subjects of romance or Faunus. This could be the worst vacation ever._"


	21. Team RWBY: Working Vacation

Another short note. Always a great thanks to everyone who reads and reviews, spreads the word and all that good stuff. Keep doing it. It's thanks to all of you that this story grows up to and past 600 followers. Glad most of you liked the last chapter's format. For those that didn't, we have a couple more chapter left before we revert back to the original state so do bear with me as we get through them. Artist Bakki, may not having anything in the works for me at the moment, but do check his DA out anyways if you haven't. Thanks for reading and sticking around for as long as you have. In leu of a personal hero passing, live long and prosper.

Team RWBY: Working Vacation

Ruby felt the fear rush through her as she saw her girlfriend unwind at the mention of her parents. With her brain still waking up, she was finding it hard to ground the magnitude of the situation or anything to calm her girlfriend down. She studied quietly as Weiss was darting back and forth, peering out the windows as if there was some Grimm playing tricks on her.

"Weiss, maybe we don't have to vacation here. You say you have many homes, so why not just pick a different spot?"

"That's all fine and dandy, but I can see my parents and they noticed me in the car," Weiss downtrodden with her announcement. She put a big unnatural smile for her to wear, scaring Ruby with how much she was bearing. "Just smile and wave."

Ruby crawled over to see the heiress' parents, the leader imagining they have horns, wings or fangs based on what Weiss has been describing them over the year, but they seemed to smile and wave back. They had the same curiosities as normal people as Ruby's head came into the window pane, neither of them souring at the sight of the leader. "So maybe we should greet them?"

"I suppose. We can't delay it any longer." Weiss grabbed Ruby's hand, guiding her to the door. The smell of the ocean air was breathtaking as she opened the door, it somehow purer than the slightly polluted waters of Vale. As her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the sun, Weiss' parents came into focus, they seemingly more radiant than the usual commoner. Even dressed down in their bathing suits, they were modern royalty.

What shocked Ruby the most is how her image for their appearance in her mind was greatly wrong, at least for her mother. She was about Weiss' height, her daughter having a few inches on her with the boots, a delicate frame that held a fit body, garnered in a bikini that probably cost as much as Beacon tuition. What scared her the most was her dark brown hair, flowing down her chest, Weiss' icy cold eyes matching her mothers. Weiss shared a lot with her mother, whom was beautiful, but her dad was fitting the bill of CEO. Hair wild from a dip in the ocean, but was attempted to be slicked back, his eyes a dual blue and a strong jawline. He was taller than all of them, even rivaling Pyrrha in height and as muscular as any student at the academy. What was entirely distracting with her was he was in the smallest bathing suit possible. Ruby didn't know his age, but he had Weiss' trademark white hair, both on his head, body, and face, where a well-groomed prominent mustache sat above his lip.

"Weiss, darling, you should have told us you were coming up. We feel so unrefined with greeting a guest in nothing but our swimsuits," her mother mentioned, Ruby confounded at the deepness in her voice, she not understanding where the shrillness she's grown to love came from.

"Sorry. It must have slipped my mind as school was ending. This is Ruby and she..." Weiss' words getting caught in her throat as she was fighting to be honest with her parents, the heiress' hand crushing hers as she was struggling to finish. "...she is my girlfriend. We came here to get away for our time off as a couple," Weiss hammering in that crucial detail.

The moment of silence after was almost unbearable, Ruby anticipating a tongue lashing or for the Schnees to unleash the hounds on her. "Oh, Weiss, you never told us you were in a relationship. Your manners seem to go out the door as soon as you leave our home. Pleasure to meet you, Ruby," Weiss' mother extending a hand, Ruby feeling foolish that she flinched at the most harmonious gesture possible.

"Umm... yeah. Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Schnee." Ruby's social awkwardness still lingered as she introduced herself. Where her mother had a more delicate handshake, her father's was more firm, that worthy of a business elite. "Nice to meet you as well, Sir."

"Likewise. Well, as swell as it is to meet someone so close to my daughter, I am a bit chilly and need to retire to our quarters," the father requested, Ruby guessing that's where Weiss' voice may come from as his was a littler higher, yet firmer, than his wife's. "The ocean air is crisp when one is wet."

"Yea-yeah. See you around," Ruby meekly replied, the Schnees disappearing into the home, the leader taking a huge breath of air as she felt the weight lift off her chest. "Everything went better than expected."

A hot scoff came from next to her. "That was everything that could have been expected and more. Driver, find out what room my parents are staying in and pick the farthest bedroom from theirs for ours."

"Yes, Miss Schnee. Right away." The man rushed indoors and doing Weiss' bidding, Ruby uneasy with the ordering around, but now sees where all of the controlling she relinquished at the beginning of their partnership came from.

"They seemed fine with it though. I didn't even notice a bit of discomfort."

"That's their 'PR' face. That's many decades of having to hide their true emotions away from the front pages and journalists. They didn't didn't even acknowledge you as my girlfriend. They merely discounted it as a relationship, as if my statement had a paper thin significance," Weiss explained, heat searing through her teeth.

"I know I'm making a lot of hard assumptions, but we only had a tiny exchange. They seem nice, Weiss."

"My father is still as sharp as ever, even dipping into his over-the-hill years. His excuse of being cold was impossible. He's a huntsman, Ruby. His aura keeping him warm since he was younger than us," Weiss revealed, the leader feeling a chill down her spine as her natural nativity was shattered. "Trust me, my parents had an immediate disdain towards you, whether you want to acknowledge it or not."

Ruby wished there was some magical hindsight to prove Weiss wrong, but they were her parents and hoping as hard as she could wasn't going to backtrack her childhood. She followed Weiss to their room, the four bedroom home as compact as possible, the developer utilizing every inch he had of the land. The interior was as expertly decorated like the outside, modern lights accenting the portraits and sculptures, lush rugs and tiles crushing beneath her feet, and a lingering aroma of cleanliness in each room, Ruby feeling like a fish out of water with all the wealth that was spread around the structure. As she entered the bedroom, a massive bed sat in the middle, covered in satin sheets and a litany of pillows.

Ruby unpacked her clothes in an uncomfortable silence, letting Weiss stew as she was doing the same. "How do I make them like me?"

"Go back in time and get born into money. I love you, Ruby, but everything I love about you they will hate. You're not from some multi-million Lien company. Your last name Rose, although pretty, has no pull in high society. And you're a pleasant person to be around. I hope you never have to meet some of the people my parents consider friends, all of them loathsome humans," Weiss making clear that this was a no-win battle. Ruby's mission to find any alleviation to the situation was coming up short. She picked up her snowflake necklace, wondering if she should take it off over the stay, seeing at least two people who would say she didn't deserve to have Weiss.

As Ruby was unclasping it, she felt a hand on her neck. "I knew you were going to try something like that the second you kept questioning them."

"I want to avoid confrontation. I know they already saw it, but maybe they might like me more if our relationship wasn't being shoved in their face constantly."

"That's unacceptable coming from you. I know my parents are intimidating, but we are a couple, Ruby. It's not us that have to adjust, but them. You don't have to get them to like you, or even accept you, solely survive. If there is one thing that we do have an advantage on them is that they are public figures, They must always be on a certain level of behavior or it could reflect poor on the company." Weiss readjusted her girlfriend necklace, meticulously placing it in the middle. "You are not allowed to hide yourself this weekend. It's supposed to be our vacation, despite this obstacle."

Ruby felt some of the tension leave her body hearing Weiss be so absolute in her resolve to be with her. Her cool eyes gazed down, a softer expression growing on the heiress as the leader's smile widened. Weiss laced her arms around her, Ruby warming up to her lover's touch as she closed the gap. "If you say so," the leader whispered, her lips lightly touching against Weiss' until a large grumble erupted in the pit of her stomach as a burp, the short-haired girl covering her mouth in embarrassment from the volume.

"It's moments like this that question why I'm with you in the first place. I'll send an order to the chefs, but we'll grab some cookies out of the pantry to hold you over," Weiss giving as hard a smile she could muster with fanning away Ruby's gastric breath.

The leader followed like a puppy promised treats down to the kitchen where the chef was on duty, the man still wet behind the ears as the heiress approached him, shaking him to his core. Ruby is usually the one that sprinkles '_I'm sorry_' too many times, but this young man was giving her a run for his money when he didn't have the correct seasoning for her steak. Weiss was more than fine than with this slight error, Ruby's hunger drive the only one having a problem having to wait so long for food. The heiress efficiently fulfilled her appetite with a box of gourmet cookies.

Wanting to showcase the home, Weiss took Ruby on a tour, the house deceptively small to give way for the luscious backyard. It was a jungle back there with its many flowers and trees that lined the walkways, a large rectangular pool centering the picture as it lined the trail to the cliff. A small area that was at the end of the backyard held two lawn chairs, a small table, and a breathtaking view of the sea. Ruby gave a muffled gasp with her mouth stuffed with crumbs, Weiss having to give a few hard pats on the back to keep the leader from choking.

For the moment, Ruby was able to forget Weiss' parents, but couldn't shake them completely. Each rustle from the bushes behind them were hallucinations as she was hearing things. Her girlfriend mentioned to not worry about it, but her desire to be liked was interfering. It's not like it was some popularity contest, but regardless of their differences now, her parents were important to her life, a section of Ruby's upbringing that was lacking leading to her stubbornness.

The sun was shimmering on the horizon as the ladies were called for dinner. Ruby almost went through the entire box of cookies, regretting she asked for an expensive entree. The dining room was well lit, a chandelier hanging over a glass table, a candelabra in the middle, and settings for four people, a sinking feeling upsetting Ruby's stomach.

"I knew we should have eaten out," Weiss said annoyed, the leader quick to her partner's side.

"Dinner won't be terrible. We'll be stuffing our mouths most the time."

"Eating and my parents silently judging you. I'm going to give you a crash course on manners. Listen up..."

"Weiss, Ruby, so nice of you to join us," Weiss' mother merrily pronounced, Ruby dreading seeing the heiress' parents take the opposite side of the table.

Weiss cupped Ruby's ears. "Too late, just don't put your elbows on the table."

Ruby acknowledged, her actions delayed as she was pulling out Weiss chair with her fixated on her parents. As if on cue, the chef bused out silver trays, lifting the lids and releasing the packets of steam, and the heavenly aroma of well-cooked food. Ruby was lucky in her pick for steak, not needing to know which fork or knife to use first made it easier to dig in.

The leader was hoping for a silent meal, but midway through cutting brought her hopes down. "So, Ruby, where did you and Weiss meet?" her mother asked.

Ruby stuttered, looking over to Weiss as confirmation to continue. "I uhh... we attend Beacon together. During initiation, we stumbled into each other and we sort of had to be close each other since we became partners."

"Ohh, Beacon. You look so youthful, though," her father commented.

"I actually am two years younger than Weiss and the rest of the class. I was brought into Beacon by the headmaster after seeing my skills at a robbery and he invited me to join."

"Impressive. I do hope he wasn't some sleazy salesman so he could stick you with Beacon's tuition bill," he added again.

"No. I'm actually there free of charge. Special circumstances, I guess," Ruby shy when attempting to stay humble, but it seemed to dazzle the Schnees, something she wasn't expecting as Weiss stared down her parents.

"That's excellent you're at the academy. Footing Weiss' bill is easy for us, but I can't imagine some of the headaches some parents must go through to help their child. What about your parents, Ruby? What do they do?" her mother asked, the leader dropping her steak knife at the mention of her parents. She wanted to tell the truth, but she hasn't been even been able to speak about her mother openly for years, all that came out was a garbled mess.

"My-my father is a teacher at Sig-signal, but my mo-mother..." Weiss reciprocated Ruby's earlier kindness and rushed to her side as well, clasping the back of her hand as Ruby was having a hard time breathing.

"Mother, I insist you drop this subject right now."

"It was an honest mistake, darling. It's important to know what parents do. Their job title shows a certain character about them. It also shows their socio-economic status, their wealth or status. What if one of them was an abuser and barely holds onto anything let alone a job," her mother offhandedly stated, the comment stinging more than she anticipated. Ruby didn't know much about her mother, the feint memories of her were usually coming home late, being the best mother she could be, fighting with Dad about missions, and having the process repeat weeks later.

"Mother!" Weiss losing her patience, Ruby sinking into her seat as she was being shamed into a corner.

*-Blake-*

Blake stood there as she watched the end of the exchange, the Faunus sure Weiss was about to reach across the table and drag her mother out for a scolding.

"I think we came at a bad time," Yang purposefully voiced loud enough for attention to be directed to the both of them, Ruby's eyes growing big as she saw someone friendly.

The chef introduced the couple. "Mr. and Mrs. Schnee, you apparently have two other people joining you for your stay. At least that's what they told me."

The heiress stood up. "You two are very late. I'll show you to your room." Weiss gave a gentle rub on Ruby's back before she met with the couple. She beckoned them over with her finger, the other two staying as quiet as possible as they didn't want to be the ones to set her off. She took them back outside, looking around before she started speaking.

"Alright, you two obviously saw what was going on in there. My parents are also here."

"Yeah. You all seem to be getting along. You sure it is safe to leave Ruby in there with them?" Yang asked with genuine concern for her sister's safety.

"Not in the slightest, so let me speak so I can go back in there and play crisis control. I know this sounds awkward, but I need you two to stay in the guest house in the back," Weiss hurriedly ordered.

"I know we're having some argument, but I'm not going to barge in or ruin private time with you and Ruby," Yang offered, oblivious to what the heiress was getting across.

"That's not it. Blake, you know how my father feels about the Faunus, and I know how you feel about his business practices. If there was a powder keg that needs a spark, it's you two in a room together."

"It's not what we had planned, but it does sound like the most logical solution. I'd hate to be the one responsible for everyone having to go home early," Blake responded.

"Great. The key is under a rock to the right side of the door. Get comfortable and keep the drapes closed as much as possible," Weiss almost out of breath as she went rushing to get back to her date in peril. She dug into her pockets, bringing out a fistful of Lien cards. "Take it. Go out and eat on me. Now, if you excuse me, I have to go make sure Mother doesn't ask Ruby if she has a history of diabetes because of her insatiable taste for all things sweet."

Weiss closed the door behind her, both a little taken aback by the suddenness of it all. "I see where she got her white hair."

Blake nudged her girlfriend in the stomach for the subtle joke, but it did make her smile. It was a rocky start to their vacation, but she was hoping she could take off her bow for the next few weeks. Now she'd have to wear it constantly in fear of starting a race war. "It's times like these I'm glad my parents were hippie activists. They were set in their ways, but at least they weren't against having a meal with the enemy."

Blake and Yang went around the back, throwing their luggage on the bed, the blonde suggesting they make their appearance as small as possible, the Faunus concurring with her body hungry for anything. They hopped back onto Bumblebee and drove a few minutes into the town adjacent to the home, Blake admiring the small town charm. She was so used to Vale's multistory buildings and Beacon's castle that small mom-and-pop shops were more than welcoming. Finding parking wasn't fun, though, small cities not accommodating for tourism in the future. Not wanting to walk any further, they picked the first restaurant they came too.

It was a modest hole-in-the-wall, the couple being seated at a small, checkered table, an accented candle enhancing the romantic vibe, the blonde hair of her partner highlighted in the low glow. The Faunus was fighting to smile, assuming her girlfriend was unaware of what was at the front of the store.

"What's wrong?" the question coming out of nowhere, startling the Faunus.

"Why would you say that?"

"Because I've been running my foot up and down your calf and it hasn't elicited a playful kick in the shins from you," Yang alluding to the Faunus' distracted attention. Blake didn't want to ruin the mood, but the next coercing the blonde would point out is how her ears are pinning under her bow.

"You didn't see the sign in the front, did you?" the blonde's perplexed expression giving Blake her answer. "There was a sign out front that said... it said 'Humans only. No Faunus allowed'."

"Really? Well, come on, we'll go find somewhere else to eat." Yang grasped Blake's hand, only to be pulled back to her seat by the Faunus.

"I don't think we'll find a friendly establishment in this city. It's small, secluded, and judging from similar signs around the area, very stuck in their ways." Blake brought her hands to her forehead massaging the figurative headaches that were forming. "It was a gamble, but I had a hunch that Weiss would bring us to a place like this. I was kind of hoping to cut loose and be free, but it seems prejudice doesn't take a vacation."

"Don't be pigeon-holing Weiss like that. She had the best intentions for all of us and certainly is having her hands full with an unexpected visit from her parents."

"Look at you defending the Ice Queen so readily. You don't have to be trying so hard. Take it for what it's worth, but I think you're not giving yourself enough credit in your efforts to mending what you had with her," Blake reassured as Yang had for her.

"You may be right, but I don't feel it. And until I do, I won't stop adjusting my emotions about it. It's like a working vacation for me. Alongside to having fun is to make sure I'm alright with Weiss at the end of it," Yang confided, the Faunus realizing last week that there was nothing she could do other than keep her girlfriend's mood afloat as she was settling to the new dynamics of her and Ruby's relationship.

"Looks like both our vacation plans are going awry since we agreed to the heiress' invitation. All today has been is a painful reminder that I, as a Faunus, am not welcomed," Blake dispirited as the first leg of the trip has gotten off on the wrong foot.

Yang reached over and clasped her hand, her palm warmer than the fire from the candle. "The point of a vacation is to suspend all this stress and relax. It hasn't gone well so far, but we're going to have fun. That's mandatory." A brazen smirk riding across her face, her violet irises gazing into her, the assured expression lifting the Faunus' spirits, knowing only she could make her smile in a situation so bleak.

"I think it's counter intuitive to have mandatory fun, but I sure didn't come out here to let the racists ruin what will be a good time," Blake embraced Yang's felicity, a gloved hand reaching under her chin, guiding the Faunus into a chaste, yet passionate kiss. The two stopped as the waiter came by, the Faunus exchanging her own flirtations actions as she was running up the blonde's leg, Yang giving her a look of sensual revenge when they got back to the home.

*-Yang-*

Little electric jolts coursed through the blonde's body as the wicked hands of the Faunus roamed her torso. Blake, midway through the ride, had unzipped Yang's jacket, not wanting resistance as she teased her girlfriend. Each glide of her hands deliberate to tickle or pleasure Yang. Blake, having a perfect memorization of her lover's body, made it hard to concentrate on the road. "If you don't stop, I'm going to turn us into the nearest hotel!" the blonde yelled, her voice carrying over the roar of Bumblebee.

"How does it feel with the shoe on the other foot?" Blake pressed her lips to the back of Yang's neck, the salty layer lingering only made her suckle the soft flesh as she marked her underneath her scarf. "These are for all the times you goose me while we're at school."

If this was punishment, Yang was going to have to have to take more grievous measures to bring this side of Blake out again. With everything going on at the home, light play would be taken, the blonde exhausted from the day's events. Also a shower was in order, her hair feeling pounds heavier with all the sea air sticking to it.

They pulled into the driveway, the Faunus settling down with not knowing where Weiss' parents could be, clinging close to her girlfriend as an umbrella of protection as they made their way to the guest house. Down the path, she could see the ivory ponytail of the heiress flickering in the gentle sea breeze. Scouting revealed she was alone. Yang didn't want to meddle in one's problems, but she was concerned without Ruby next to her, her mind wondering what could have happened in the time they have been gone.

"Go to her," Blake ordered, Yang not expecting from that to come from her. "She needs someone. I don't see a reason it shouldn't be you."

The blonde took a moment to process Blake's comment, Weiss already in an annoyed mood when they first arrived could have only gotten worse. Yang apprehensive that her presence was not wanted, "I'll-I'll go talk with her."

"I'll go take a shower. If the Ice Queen rebuffs you quickly, feel free to join me," Blake giving a reassuring pat on the back as she departed. Yang took a deep breath, hoping she wasn't walking to a lion's den with a splinter in its paw. The loud echo of her boots to cobblestone wasn't distracting the heiress, her attention fixated at the ocean view.

"Hey," Yang softly called out, the voice familiar enough for Weiss to turn around and take notice.

"Hello, Yang. How was dinner?"

"A lot better than it seems yours went. Want to talk about it?"

"You don't have to force empathy on yourself for the sake of trying to fix this."

Yang placed her hand on the slender shoulder of the heiress, blue eyes surprised at the compassionate gesture. "It's not forcing yourself when you actually care about the other person. If you don't want to talk about it, fine. I'll go, but I'm curious since I rarely see you two not together."

Weiss still held a scowl, Yang not knowing whether she was only making the heiress more agitated with her intrusion. The snow-haired girl took a deep breath, returning her gaze to the ocean, not giving a cold shoulder to Yang as she spoke. "It went about as well as you witnessed. There was nothing, nothing that I could say that would change my parents preconceived judgment about people like Ruby. She could save the world and they would still find a way to deflate that accomplishment because she wasn't born with a silver spoon in her mouth. I told them she was top ten in the class and they responded with why not top five. They couldn't let go that she was raised by a single parent, I know my father questioning what kind of household she grew up in before to have both her parents not present. If there was a silver lining is that my mother seemed to take more of an interest in her, the jury still out if that is a good thing. Your sister is smart, a skilled fighter, beautiful, and a genuinely pure person."

"It's a nice change of pace for you to be gushing about my sister, instead of hearing about how big of a dolt she is," Yang smirking as she saw the look of fear being caught red-handed with her outpouring of love.

"Oh, don't get me wrong. Ruby is a dolt, a dunce, and a spaz, but she's mine, and I'll be damned if anyone, especially my parents, think so poorly of her. I'm the only one who can call her dunce," Weiss sharply asserted, Yang pleased with the heiress passion, but not the content.

"You're stepping into my territory now. She's my baby sister. I'm allowed to make fun of her till the end of time," Yang sternly said, Weiss realizing she was walking into a trap and backed away from the situation.

"Yeah... You're right," Weiss losing her spirit more disheartening than Yang anticipated. The blonde centered the heiress between her shoulders, locking her eyes with the shaking icy orbs.

"That was reflexive protection and I'm sorry. I now see why Ruby thinks it's cute when you get worked up about something." Weiss folded her arms, her attempts at hiding a blush not effective as her cheeks pinked. "It means a lot to me that you're getting this upset and it's not because I'm spiteful. It shows that you care, and you can argue that you always have, but it's not that obvious to people on the outside looking in when I keep seeing you rebuff my sister's affection."

Weiss averted her gaze, a shame creeping right through her as Yang felt her tense up. "I didn't mean for it to come off so cold. It's just..."

"Don't explain yourself. You don't have to mirror a relationship like mine and Blake's and clearly whatever you're doing is working magic on my sister. I'm glad, that under the many rants, insults, and scorning, there is love."

"Is that what you were afraid of, that I didn't love Ruby?"

"A combination of yes and no. I said this when I was jokingly threatening you back when you two went on a date behind my back, but I meant it when I said to take care of my sister's heart, especially after a certain point of no return if you catch my drift. You're her first and any damage you might do will carry on to every relationship after and it's peace of mind that she's in good hands."

Yang being real for a moment was weird to her, and it seems Weiss was not used to the honest ambiance with the blonde's usual bubbly nature. "That's... that's hard to argue against something so magnanimous in nature, but you should know that I'm going to makes mistakes. We both are. One could argue that's what makes you and Blake so compatible is because of what happened in the past. But I have unwavering loyalty to her. If I have anything to say about it, I will have her be my first and only."

Yang felt her heart swimming with relief after hearing the heiress words. She may be a novice to the dating scene, but is clearly wise beyond her years. Intelligent enough to anticipate the roadblocks she may face, but not cynical enough to forgo loving Ruby. "That's what I like to hear."

Weiss warmed up as Yang gave a hard slap to the shoulders, the heiress not fond of heavy physical contact, but glad that it was friendly in comparison of what Yang was capable of. "Speaking of unusual, Blake isn't around. I predicted that neither of you would be leaving the room the first night... or days."

"Blake convinced me to give you and whoever has to change the sheets a break. That and possible property damage, but she's taking a shower. Pro-tip, Weiss. Don't become predictable. Blake knows I want to join her, but she doesn't know when. I think some deliverance of punishment is in order for what she was pulling on Bumblebee, that which she is not expecting when I pull her back in the shower after she toweled off. With a lone towel covering her, I can strip her of it and begin..."

Weiss placed her hand fiercely over the blonde's mouth. "This is what Ruby talks about when it's too much information. Mind if we talk about anything else. Preferably anything not pertaining to this so- far stressful vacation."

With Yang having the first positive interaction with the heiress in over a week, she was sharp enough when to pull the pestering punch. "Alright..." the blonde taking a peek at her scroll,"help me kill another ten minutes. Blake should be out by then." Weiss' neurotics pacified as the two ladies were having a welcoming typical conversation amongst teammates.

*-Weiss-*

"Oh my goodness, Yang. You can stop right there. Anymore of Ruby as a child, I think I'd rather hear that from her. The versions from her will be quite different and less grotesque," Weiss demanded, both applauded by the story, but contented with how comfortable Yang was with sharing stories of her growing up with Ruby.

"Fine, I'll stop, but you ask Ruby the same thing, compare, and decide which story has the full details. I guarantee that there will be a few key specifics left out on purpose," Yang humorously pointed out, Weiss almost forgetting how her smile looked after a week of not seeing it. The brawler took another look at her scroll. "Blake's probably drying. I best not disappoint her by not coming. Get it." Weiss frowned at the tasteless joke, wishing she had an apple to throw at the blonde. With the air so positively constructive, the heiress couldn't help but dig into the brawler.

"Ruby is probably wondering where I am too. She has been begging me to tend her rose garden." Weiss so confident with her wit was beaming a smirk until she saw the smile turn upside down for Yang.

"Weiss, come on. Too soon." The blonde walked away, hands digging in her pockets with her head downcast. "You should know better."

"Yang... it was..." the heiress unable to find her voice to apologize, unsure of what to apologize with. "I thought we were having a good time," Weiss confused and dejected with how the blonde left with such a vexed expression.

Weiss didn't see a reason to stay out any longer, making her way back to the house, as frustrated as ever with how effectively she was able to dismantle the mood. "_I'll consider that one step forward and half a step back. I guess that's what I get for trying to mimic her humor when the wounds are still fresh._"

"Yang! You friend!" an elated scream came from the direction of the guest house, the heiress' spine scrawling initially, only to have her attitude sour as she connected the moans to the Faunus and couple's lovemaking.

"_Now I don't know if she was kidding or not, the woman the definition of tease. I'll air on the side of caution and assume I and her are still not there yet. At least hearing them isn't as disturbing as if Ruby were to. Speaking of which, I could surprise her too if she's still in the bathroom. If I hurry, I can be the one to initiate this time._"

Weiss picked up her pace, boots in a fervor clamor as they rushed to the door. With her target in sight, she tiptoed to the door, hoping that her girlfriend was distracted by television to keep her element of surprise. She was inching her ear to the door, when a voice came from behind her.

"Miss Schnee," the heiress yelping in terror as the man's voice scared her out of her boots. "My apologies for startling you, but your father has requested that you meet him in his study before you turn in for the night."

Weiss did not like where this was going, past experiences of being called to his office was a prison sentence that lasted only a few minutes, but felt like life times. As a child growing up, the plush leather chair that sat opposite of him might as well have been electrified, each lecture puncturing her ego as her father would go on about supposed life lessons and values that she was ignoring. As she got older, and realizing everything that was fed to her was not her beliefs, it was a way to organize her day as he droned on about something until he caught on, now making Weiss repeat what has been said afterward.

This time was different, the heiress knowing exactly why she was being called in, her mind preparing its defenses for whatever her father might throw at her. Outside her father's study, she stood before the door frame, the wooden panel stretching to the ceiling, making her feel small again as she had as a child. Part of her wanted to walk away and not even deal with him, but knew she couldn't if she were to safeguard the company's future. She turned the brass handle and entered, Weiss irritated that no matter what home she stayed at, he had to have some den to his own.

Swords of all types lined the walls, a small collection of taxidermied insects, including rapier wasps, on display and a quiet humming of a water filter in the aquarium on the opposite side of the desk. Her father peered over his monitor with the new individual in the room. "Weiss, please take a seat."

"I think I'll stand if that is alright with you," Weiss authoritatively standing her ground, her father's brow growing as furrowed as hers.

"Fine. I won't argue with you on that considering how defiant you've been since you've left home." Her father pulled himself out of his chair, a cane in his hand, end menacingly pointed at her face. "You really are making it hard to tell the investors that the company has a future past me. The board is going to flip when they get word that my daughter is a lesbian."

"Glad to see your true colors, Father. I wish you just had the backbone to tell that to Ruby's face while we were at dinner instead of henpecking her along with Mother," fire emitted from Weiss mouth, her barely able to contain herself in front of Ruby. The leader tried her best to calm the heiress down after the fact, but her natural gullibility was protecting her from what was happening at the table, her parents hoping to plant the seed of doubt that she didn't belong.

"You know why I have a problem with it. Well, multiple problems with it, but the central one being she's some lucky brat that somehow fell into Schnee orbit. Really, all of this wealth couldn't bring you to find someone with at least some of the class you're brought up with. Also, your ancestors would be proud for impeding the possible lineage of the company. You know it has to be a Schnee to take the helm and your sister could have the same complications as your mother."

"Oh just put it all out on the table. Let's clear the air here and get down to why so we can agree to disagree and get some shut eye!" Weiss, now irritated was giving her ultimatum, having only stomached her parents for a few hours was more than enough for one month.

"Fine. That girl is dragging your attention away from the company," he argued back, waving his cane as he was demonstrating his predictions. "I don't know what kind of spell she has on you, but the company will be thrown into anarchy if you leave to gallivant with some commoner trash."

"You should have thought of that before settling with two kids with such a narrow urethra, I mean, because her tubes were blocked," she fired out, Weiss not proud she picked low hanging fruit, but was satisfying none the less.

"Don't get snippy with me. We tried to have more, but you and Winter were at much as your mother's uterus could muster. You should be so lucky to even be alive." Weiss felt that sicking feeling in her stomach as the comment brushed passed her ears. "The company knows I'm retiring soon. I've made it prevalent for the past few years. This huntress idea had it's benefits with full disclosure of you coming back after graduating, but that girl has her own agenda and judging from dinner, you're willing to join her."

"And so what if I am. There was no clause in my birth that makes me want to control the company anyways. Don't get me wrong, I do. I love the company more than you think, but unlike you, I don't intend on giving up anything. You say it's impossible to work around that clause, I'll find a way. If time is what I need then I have plenty of it. You need to back off or this conversation will spill out into the public and I don't think your PR department can clean it up."

Weiss would have had trouble cutting through the tension with Myrtenaster, the daughter and father in a stare down for the ages, as if the first one to blink wins the argument. "Blackmailing your father. You are shaping up to be a Schnee, that's for sure. You won't hear anymore about it from me, but you are on thin ice. No more stepping out of line, agreed?"

With all the pawns in play, Weiss knew she was still unable to make a move that would set her on top. She looked at his pale hand, the idea of calling a truce a massive loss at this point. Still, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction to any degree, the heiress turning to the door. Before exiting, she did give him an answer, just not to his question. "Night, Father."

Weiss stormed out of the office, hoping to cool down before she reached her room, but she threw herself on the bed. Ruby, already in her pajamas, slid her body across the spread, the heiress choosing to keep her eyes closed, not wanting to look at the earnest gray eyes as Ruby was hovering above her. "I was just about to text you, but I could take a guess where you were."

"I have some miserable luck to be in these circumstances," Weiss complained, the exhausted tone in her voice prompting Ruby to prop her girlfriend up against her chest, her small, yet strong hands, taking their places on her back. The leader's digits worked into the tense muscles, the heiress afraid that her stress was going to cause some sort of medical issue if she were unable to unwind.

"Girlfriend talk, can we talk about it?" Ruby invoking the one resolute rule of honesty that was foundation of their relationship, but Weiss was not in the mood and didn't have the energy at this point to give her the full rundown of how increasingly complicated her life will become.

"Girlfriend talk, after vacation, if that's alright with you. No reason to have what's swimming in my head be in yours when we're supposed to be relaxing," Weiss imparted, the leader humming her response as she kept working her fingers along the heiress' body. As Ruby continued, she could feel the garbled noise in her head quiet, not knowing if she was going to sleep or her girlfriend had another special talent. Weiss re-tensed up again as her lover's pair of lips nipped her neck. "Not tonight, I'm not in the mood."

"Oh. So-sorry," Ruby stammered out, Weiss feeling immediately guilty as she felt her words hit the leader's heart. The heiress knew what she was up to, and not wanting to discourage behavior like this for the rest of the trip, grabbed Ruby's hand and placed a kiss on the back of it. She pulled harder, the leader following her partner's influence as her lips trailed up her slender arm until her body had snaked to meet the heiress' face, Weiss leaning in for an ardent kiss.

"Tomorrow, I promise that if you keep me thoroughly distracted, this scene will have a to be continued," Weiss lowly spoke, her own lust laced in her words, Ruby's eyes lighting up at the response. "Go grab my nightgown. I need my beauty sleep."

"You can count on me." Ruby jumped off her. Before Weiss had her dress off, her girlfriend already had her nightwear. The heiress smirked, the enthusiasm of her girlfriend often times contagious. Even as Ruby helped her strip, Weiss was finding it hard not to smile at her partner's zeal. The heiress found undressing in front of her still slightly bashful, but nice that she doesn't have to duck into another room to get ready when it's just Ruby.

The couple jumped into bed, the leader spooning her as Weiss was afraid she'd have a frown all night as she was sleeping. That feeling dissolved as her girlfriend enveloped her as much as she could with her small frame, her nose buried deep in her white mane, her rhythmic breathing ticking the small hairs on her nape. "_One day, I'll have to make a decision about my future, but that day isn't today. Till then, I don't see why I can't indulge myself in my passions. Passions like being a huntress, enjoying my youth... loving Ruby._"


	22. Team RWBY: Team Building Exercises

Back for another update. Again thanks for all the love and support of the story. It's crazy to see it grow everyday. Keeping this short, this is the last chapter of all four perspectives. If you hated it, the pain is over. If you liked it, thanks for embracing the change, but we're going back to original format for a long while. Thanks for the fav/follows and reviews. You guys are top.

Team RWBY: Team Building Exercises

Three days had past since Yang and Blake officially started their vacation. The Faunus had to admit that she was impressed how well behaved her girlfriend had been so far, only christening the bathroom a handful of times with some light play. Blake was about to request a small trip to the nearest hotel until she figured out why the blonde hadn't saddled her over her shoulder and road off into town. While the couple were enjoying their time off, so was Ruby and Weiss.

Yang ducked in and out of the house whenever she would hear the lighthearted sounds of love that would be skirting around the walls, the acoustics helping it travel. The blonde even lost her appetite occasionally when she would hear a playful shriek from either of them, Blake stealing a box of snacks so at least Yang wasn't going without some sort of food. The Faunus did have to side with her girlfriend on this one, no rational to make her feel better about the situation other than her ability to distract. Movies, restaurants, and running around the local landmarks was putting Yang in a better mood, but Blake was leaving her trump card until she was out of ideas. Not having bikinis at Beacon, the two went shopping, the blonde picking out the skimpiest of suits for the Faunus to try on, Blake only agreeing so long as she joined her in the stall, not willing for the public to get a good look at her scantily clad body.

In the end, Blake was going to have the final say on either of their swimsuits, the Faunus feeling the disappointment in Yang's tone had her be more liberal with her decision, but she was not about to have neither of their assents on display for boys to ogle. Blake was bothered enough at the attention they get from their male peers at Beacon. As she was admiring herself in the mirror, she was proud of her taste in bikini, a black strapless top with a white bow in the middle and a solid black pant bottom, hoping to give Yang what she wanted with an article of clothing showcasing what she likes most.

The blonde exited the bathroom, in a golden bra, displaying in the entirety her cleavage and a string bikini bottom, a thin clothed skirt flowing from her waist. Yang knew she looked good with a smug smirk on her face and a glint her eye as she slid her aviators above her bangs. "So, what do you think?"

Blake could tell she was in a stupor, a bit stunned with how a few simple altercations did paint Yang in a whole new light. Usually she would play coy, but she couldn't bring herself to do it with her girlfriend putting in that much effort. "You-you look great," Blake slightly flustered, not expecting her cheeks to redden with a change of clothing.

Yang got what she wanted, a reaction, and walked across the room, enclosing the Faunus in her arms and giving a small kiss, Blake hating that the blonde can still have this effect on her so long into their relationship. She grabbed a large sunhat off the bed, extra incentive of her identity protection. That and the Faunus' light skin tanned well, but burned easily. "You need me to get the umbrella too?" Yang asked.

"Yes, please." Blake grabbed one of her books from her summer reading collection, hoping to enjoy the soundtrack of the ocean instead of the quiet riffraff when in her dorm room. Yang noticed the publication tucked under her arm.

"I hope you don't plan on finishing that. I will get you into the water even if I have to drag you out there."

"I'll get in the water, don't worry about that. I just want the sunscreen to set in and enjoy it for a bit before it washes off. By the way, I will need some help getting my back. I'm sure I don't have to ask."

"Oh gladly. We won't be out there too long. I do have something special planned and would like you to not be bushed," Yang hinted, Blake curious as to what she could've done.

"How were you able to plan a date? You barely even have money to pay for gas on the way back," Blake questioned. There had been such a drought between one of Yang's surprise dates that she was enthralled to hear of another one in such a romantic place.

"Umm... Weiss sort of clued me in on something and... I hate saying this, but she sort of gave me this idea. The food, location, and probably the drinks are all on her all wrapped in a pretty bow," Yang regretfully disclosed.

"What did you say to her when I asked you to go talk to her?" Blake authoritatively inquired, hoping Yang was as innocent as she was playing it off.

"Nothing that would spur this kind of generosity. I don't... I don't know where this came from. All of a sudden she pulls me over the other day, looking as if she had to tell me my dad was dying, and laid out these choices. I asked why she was being so unreasonably hospitable. All I could get out of her is that she wanted there to be no misunderstanding, but as far as I know, there is none. I tried to get out of it, but she was twisting my wrist and insist I treat and not tell you. If she asks, pretend like you were surprised."

"Well, this is sort of awkward then. You sure you didn't do anything?" Blake's piercing stare analyzing for one of Yang's telltale signs of lying, her girlfriend coming up clean. The Faunus felt uneasy about it, but she might as well enjoy it instead of being inconsiderate. It was unreal still to Blake as their trip to the beach was merely walking to their backyard. Down a long stone staircase and their feet were already pressed against the soft sand. Yang planted the umbrella while she laid out the blankets and chairs before having Blake follow her to Weiss' rendezvous.

Yang proceeded to take the most convoluted way to their destinations, it being the speedboat driveway etched underneath the cliff of the house. The Faunus sore from the craggy rocks that they had to hop, skip, and jump to the cavern, especially when she noticed the staff door. The pain in her feet faded as she followed the end of the path of sand, a small blanket and silver tray was laid out before them. A small candelabra was dripping wax onto the sheet, the candles burning long enough to harden the drippings around the brass.

Yang took a seat and opened the dish, a batch of steam pouring out, the Faunus eyes burgeoning as she saw a half dozen lobster tails sitting in a row, a cup of sauce and a note was left for the both of them. Blake opened it, reading aloud, "'There's oysters in the fridge if you feel like getting frisky.' Why does this sound like you wrote it?"

"Because Ruby probably helped her," Yang plucked the note from her hands, analyzing it suspiciously. "I would suspect that she also wants this to end quickly. I doubt she enjoys having her girlfriend at ends with her big sister."

"I think we all want that," Blake added, reaching out and clasping Yang's hand.

"Well, Weiss is off to a good start..." her eyes trailing off as she noticed something behind the Faunus. She got up and returned with a bottle and a couple of stems. "A great start." Yang uncorked the bottle and poured a generous amount for them both. The blonde raised her glass, "To... to. I swear I had something for this."

The Faunus finished for her. "To shoveling us out of this pit of despair." Yang liked her idea and clanged their glasses, the blonde taking off her hat and bow before sharing a kiss. Blake not thinking twice as Weiss had chosen this spot for a far more personal reason.

* * *

><p>Blake untied her top and an enthusiastic Yang rubbed the lotion into her, the Faunus happily reciprocating, the allure to Yang is how soft she maintains her body with her toned physique. She had to slap at the blonde's hands as they were dipping around and under her bottoms, seeing if she could sneak a quick feel. With both safe from the sun, Yang lay on her back soaking up the rays as she parted her lengthy hair to the side as Blake sat down with a book, the Faunus wishing she was reading a more upbeat title, the storyline mirroring too close to what she was feeling.<p>

"_Good thing, Yang hasn't asked me to read to her. I don't think I could make up a story on the fly. It's true, though, that I can't go many places without my bow. We got lucky this beach is private, but I still have to wear the sunhat in case the Schnees are about. Maybe we can rent something in the woods. There's a lot more coverage and I do like the pleasant mountain air. Although, I'd like to go to Atlas and visit that legendary country, but part of me would like to go without the bow. I know it looks fashionable, but it is painful and annoying to wear at times. Especially if there's a lot of interesting noise..._"

"Hey girls. How's the sun?" came a little voice from the house. Yang peeked up from her glasses to see a spry Ruby in a red pleated bikini and Weiss not too far behind in a mint-blue, frilled, skirted swimsuit. Blake was marginally disappointed as she was enjoying the quiet air, but for once, was fortunate for the intrusion to get her nose out of her book.

"Pretty good. So you had the same idea," Yang hollered, motioning Blake to help her tie her top on, almost standing up and flashing the duo.

"The other days were too hot, but the nice breeze and cloud coverage made it too good a deal to pass up," Weiss added, the two laying down their beach chairs as they were getting situated.

"You two, up! We haven't spent nearly as much time together as a team. I'm changing that right now. As team leader, I think we should have some team building exercises." Ruby wringing her hands, the plans already in her head.

"Not until you put on your lotion. I don't want another repeat of you getting sick and reddening like a tomato." Blake was bewildered by the motherly attention by Yang, only to almost physically hear her toes get stepped on by Weiss.

"Don't worry. Weiss knew I would forget and lathered me good before I left," Ruby proudly commented, Blake feeling the air stiffen as she saw the two lock eyes, both feeling uneasy with what was revealed. The leader ignored what was occurring around her and proceeded her explanation. "Clearly we and our partners have had a lot of time together to sync and work better. So I was thinking we switch it up a bit and trade girlfriends."

"I like it. Sorry, Blake, but Team Sister is going to use familial mind links to defeat you." Yang wrapped an arm tight around her younger sibling, a proud smile wrapping around her face. Ruby struggled around of the blonde's grip, a less exuberant expression as she was darting her gaze away from her sister.

"I was... I was actually thinking you team up with Weiss, Yang." Blake saw her girlfriend's heart crack as she was recast by Ruby. "We've already had our time to become great at being partners, a lot longer if you think about it. I'll be with Blake. It'll be fun, right?"

The insecurity came out at the last sentence, Ruby putting on such a strong face that it was cracking under the pressure to bring the team back together. Yang even was having trouble keeping it together as she agreed to the challenge. "Yea-yeah. Come over here, Weiss. We need to strategize."

"Alright!" Ruby finding her upbeat attitude after the dust settled, taking a place next to the Faunus' side. "A friendly competition is in order." The leader rummaged through a bag and brought out two long poles and a net. "Volleyball, ladies."

Blake and Yang got to making a makeshift rectangle by digging their feet in the sand as Ruby and Weiss cemented the poles into the ground with wet sand. The Faunus watched as the dismal blonde took her spot next to the ice princess. Ruby took her spot a few steps behind Blake, the leader eager to serve. "First to seven points wins. Deuces are in play," Ruby announced as she was lobbing the ball into the air. "And Go!"

An exchange of points was had, Blake and Ruby not defending their area effectively as the blonde had a mean spike and the dynamics on the other side of the net were going even less smoothly. Each point scored on Yang's side, the Faunus noticed each of the members flashing glares, taking the mistakes too personal and Blake seeing them both boiling.

At a dead heat at six, both teams were a couple points away with running away with the win. Blake was willing to throw the game, letting the blonde have the satisfaction of winning to balance out how volatile the situation was getting. Weiss being more vocal and calling out the blonde's mistakes was not helping as Yang was holding back her ire. The ball was spiked to Blake, the Faunus reflexively setting the ball and Ruby coming in for the spike. Both raring to get the ball, Weiss and Yang ran for the save, the ice princess colliding against the massive chest, her head hitting the bottom of Yang's chin before they fumbled to the ground.

"Ow!" Weiss the first to vocalize her pain. "Watch where you and those massive balloons you call breasts are stepping. You were clearly in my zone."

"I was in your zone?" Blake noticing that ever-rising tone in Yang's anger seeping into the argument. "That spike was obviously targeting me. And don't bring my gauntlets into the conversation. I'm sure that you would mind half the cup size to fill out your loose-fitting shirts."

"Absolutely not. If I did, though, I would cover up and not be the cover girl of provocatively dressed," Weiss snapped back. Blake wanted to stop the fight, but didn't want to divide the team further by taking a side, it was best to let this fire burn itself out. In her peripheral vision, she noticed the desperate look in Ruby's face, an arm reaching out as the leader was about to react to the fight.

*-Ruby-*

She felt a hand hold her back as she was about to tear apart Weiss and Yang before they tear themselves apart. She peered back to see Blake, head disapproving of her actions. "They got to figure this one out on their own. I'm sure both of us have tried to settle it, but it ended up like this, now reducing themselves to petty attacks."

"I can't... I can't sit by and let it happen. I mean, I was spying on you girls hoping I could get an opportunity like this. I don't want today to end up worse," Ruby said, frantically searching her mind for a plan. As the ladies were verbally brawling, the leader afraid Yang would throw a punch soon, it reminded her of a time in training in the Emerald Forest. Her and Weiss were on an observation mission on learning Grimm territorial patterns. The two were hunkered down in a tree, Weiss writing notes as Ruby was watching a King Taijitu fighting a Deathstalker with such a keen interest that she lost her balance, tumbling out of her branch. After recovering from her fall, she noticed the many red-piercing eyes now directed to her. Her plan wasn't good, but it was the only one and threw the ball over the net, nudging Weiss in the face.

"Hey. What the..." the heiress' anger directing itself to her.

"Match point. Our serve," Ruby ordered, the blonde and the ice princess walking away and returning to their positions. The leader gave a powerful strike, Yang returning the serve as she spiked it to the bare area of her sand. Ruby gave in, harking back to her and Yang's childhood, and cheated. She released her semblance, flashing to the spot for a recovery, Blake not expecting such a play fumbled the ball into the net.

"Hey. That's against the rules," Yang complained, Ruby pleased with how annoyed she sounded.

"I didn't say you couldn't. Now serve. I would like for this to be over." Ruby conveying her anger that was sparking the rage to be directed by the other team. The leader was glad to see a small huddle, high hopes her plan would work. She winked over to Blake, the Faunus ready to play an entirely different game.

For a change, Yang served, Weiss standing with her arms crossed at the front of the net. The blonde gave a powerful strike, Ruby waiting for it to come to her until she saw the snowflake glyph catch it in the air. "I don't appreciate cheating in any fashion," Weiss declared, distracting the leader from her sister charging at the floating ball, fists raging with fire as she lay a thunderous spike. Ruby flinched, arms blocking as the natural reaction. In a flash, a mirror image of Blake appeared, the ball deflecting upward and another Blake spiking it down.

"Match point," the Faunus spoke, giving a wink back at Ruby, spurring into a drastically different game of volleyball than any of them had planed. The leader wasn't anticipating for it to get as heated as it got, the pitch they were playing on slowly sinking to a crater as massive attacks were blowing away the sand. Before long, they didn't know the borders and decided to play without them as they were deucing tit-for-tat. Ruby wasn't expecting to have a workout with such a friendly sparing match, but seeing Weiss and Yang occasionally trade high fives was worth sweating.

An expert misdirection of tripling up on her copies gave Blake the edge to confusing the heiress' glyph placement and game set score of forty-seven to forty-nine. Ruby wanted to sit down and take a breather, but Weiss rushed her away, claiming there was a time restriction and that she was way over the time permissible. They waved goodbye to the other couple, the heiress promising to meet up for dinner.

Ruby was dragged into the house a quick change into their regular duds, but a short car ride later brought her to the small harbor, where many, if not all, of the locals boats were stored. The leader was hesitant, having never been on a boat before was nervous about the idea about getting seasick and didn't want to spoil one of Weiss' plans. "Are you sure about this? Sailing on even the gentlest of currents is a miserable time if you're the least bit ill."

"Not one hundred percent, but we've done some pretty extreme things as huntresses. I ran up a cliff with a Nevermore, so I'm hoping that my nausea doesn't kick in because my body isn't on solid ground," Ruby insisted on her actions, hoping her stomach would unknot soon. As she approached the boat, it wasn't a yacht like she was expecting, but close enough. A couple of massive masts stood in the centers on the pristine white vessel, 'S.S. Crystal Dust' on the back. Ruby was used to seeing personnel whenever they were around Schnee anything, the lack of such presence making her skeptical. "So, is anyone late?"

"It's actually just going to be us. I am legally allowed to sail this thing. Having a boating and pilots license comes in handy. You can find any person with a drivers license in a pinch. Being able to fly a plane or navigate a boat is a rarity that I learned never to take for granted," Weiss commented, Ruby concurring as she was too young to even be applying for a vehicle license, relying on Yang a lot of the time to take her places.

The leader sat and watched patiently as Weiss methodically ran down the checklist of everything for a safe voyage, Ruby helping where she could. The heiress came out from the room under the deck, garbed in a long white jacket, clearly meant for a male, and a red one in her hands. She wrapped it around her partner, icy orbs calm as she spoke. "I hope this feels a little more comforting since you've been without your cloak most of the day. It also gets annoyingly cold if a good wind sets in."

Ruby grabbed the ends, securing the cloth around her shoulders as she beamed a smile at her girlfriend. Weiss, satisfied with her gesture, pulled out of the harbor and cranked the motor to a nearby gathering of islands. The leader had never been a seafaring person despite living on an island, but was fascinated by the sheer vastness of the ocean as they trotted out farther from the shore. A flock of seagulls flew next to the boat, their cawing the soundtrack to the ambiance of the waves crashing with the boat. The water was crystal clear, the pollution from the Vale factories not hitting this far up the coast was like experiencing the ocean for the first time as Ruby could visibly see a school of fish swimming along with them.

"Hey Ruby!" Weiss called from the helm. "Come up here for a second!"

The leader rushing to the wheel. "Yes, Captain."

A proud grin spread on her face being addressed so formally, the heiress' arm gripping onto hers and pulling her between the wheel and her body. "Place your hands where mine are." Weiss released the handles as Ruby slipped her hands into place, the leader surprised at the forceful tug as she took control. The heiress clasped the back of her palms as she aided in piloting. "Don't worry. I won't let you crash. You're having fun, though, right?"

"Yeah. This is crazy awesome, Weiss. Sorry that my efforts at planning a good day were a dud. Even it seems pushing you to plan a date for my sister and Blake didn't seem to do much in fixing the problem."

The heiress kissed Ruby's shoulder before whispering. "Don't be. I can't speak for Yang, but I had a lot of fun, even when she was grilling me up and down. Alright, maybe not that much fun, but I did like the energy behind the action. It's just wasn't the right time."

"I was hoping this was. It feels wrong to be on vacation and we've had to separate. I want us to go back to the way things were, before we had sex. We all were getting along so well once we settled down as couples. I feel us being the most well-oiled team at Beacon and... and I miss being able to talk to Yang," Ruby woefully said, the heiress using one of her arms and wrapped around her shoulders.

"I know. I want us to go back as well. Except the sex aspect. It has been fun the couple times since," Weiss admitted, Ruby blushing as she was reminded of the past few days distinctive activities. The leader overjoyed, though, that the heiress was able to speak more frankly about the subject, Ruby hoping that there was a bed below deck that she was unaware of.

Ruby's had been on a lot of dates with Weiss, but she never expected one in the middle of the ocean. Weiss left Ruby in charge of steering as she went downstairs to prepare the meal on deck. The leader felt compelled to not move an inch, remembering to keep her hands at ten-and-two like Weiss told her, but there was something she never sees on the side of the boat. The loud cackle of a dolphin carried above the boat's motor. Her childlike curiosity got the better of her, leaving her post for a moment to capture the sight on her scroll.

As she was fascinated by the mammal, she felt the boat turn underneath her, her fears coming true as she looked back. Snagged by her cloak, the wheel was turning by itself, the momentum further turning it. The boat veered left, angling the vessel nigh-perpendicular that she heard a few dishes crash on the deck below her. She reached the wheel, but not before Weiss could poke her head from below and aid her. "Ruby! I seriously left for a minute and this happens!" the heiress screaming as she was stabilizing the ship.

"I'm sorry. I saw a dolphin and I went to take a picture and..."

"And this is why I call you a child..." Weiss interrupted, Ruby feeling the sting as she knew there was a rant coming. "This is an expensive boat. You could have easily hit a rock by straying away from the course or worse, capsized this thing. Those masts are a major counterbalance, but make it top heavy. And you did all this for what? A dolphin? I can't believe... I can't believe I'm turning into... my father."

The heiress impassioned speech petered out at her realization. Ruby's fear transferring over to her girlfriend, frail body shaking from the admittance. "Excuse me," the heiress rushing downstairs. Ruby followed, hesitant to get closer as Weiss slumped up against the cabinet, hands covering her face. The leader gingerly reached over and embraced the heiress, too embarrassed to look her girlfriend in the eye. "I'm sorry."

"Usually I would accept it, but I did mess up," Ruby making an effort to comfort the heiress, her attempt going as well as she anticipated.

"No. You deserve that. You could have went overboard. I was sorry for my parents seeping out into our good time again. Let's just say that a very similar incident happened on this boat when I was younger, my father reprimanding me like no other. I remember shrinking as all the other guests were staring at me, judging me, even with my sister attempting to defend my mistake. I couldn't shake it because I did give into some childlike innocence and my father had effectively stamped it out that day. It's partially why I wanted this date out here. I wanted to re-write some bad memories."

Ruby felt her heart sink with Weiss' mood, hating that the heiress was relapsing on what has been so far a pleasant vacation since the meeting of her parents. They had said hello and had their own agenda, so they didn't intrude on the couple's good time. But they were very present on Weiss psyche, Ruby not knowing much to do other than keep her happy. She scanned the nook, plates shattered and dessert scattered on the floor, the leader charmed that it was her favorite brand of chocolate chip. She took one and placed it in her mouth, offering herself to the heiress. It was on a whim, Ruby frantically fumbling to cheer her up and it seemed to work as her troubled expression produced a thin smile.

"Dolt," she spoke lowly, accepting Ruby's invitation and bit off her share of the treat, the leader giving a small peck to Weiss' displeasure, the heiress not one for a messy kiss. It was a beautiful day outside, but the leader found it more fun to alleviate the heiress' discomfort sitting on the messy floor, feeding each other their meals, at least what wasn't on the ground. Eventually they did move it to the bedroom, Ruby more than willing to sacrifice the possibility of intimacy to support Weiss' wounded heart. Before she knew it, the sun was getting ready to set, Weiss getting back on the helm and going home.

*-Weiss-*

"I can't express how much it means what you did for me on the boat. I don't think any other person could have handled me quite as well as you," Weiss confided, her body bundled in the curves of Ruby's body as they were being driven back from the harbor.

"Not a problem. How many times have I been shaken up when my mother is brought up? You're always so good to divert the conversation when amongst company. If you weren't there I would just end up hyperventilating in the bathroom again."

Weiss, still curious about what happened to Ruby's mother, prodded with the subject in the open. "Do I get to hear that story yet?"

"After vacation, if that's alright with you," Ruby solemnly stated, a small chuckle as she was impressing herself with her own wit. "The time is soon, but it needs to be right, you know?"

Weiss understood, regretting she wasn't able to stave Ruby from her problems with her parents to a much later date, the heiress wishing it could be never happen. The limo door opened, Weiss in such a blissful state that she didn't even notice the car stopped. She exited with Ruby around the waist, part of her feeling disgusted she was so close in case she ran into her father, but at least there was a small pocket of love behind the token of affection.

As the two were making it to the front door, Yang and Blake were coming up with all the gear from the beach, the heiress feeling a pang of guilt as she saw her and Ruby's chairs in tow. "I knew we were forgetting something when we were leaving."

"Don't sweat it," Yang commented. "A couple extra pounds to us isn't a big deal, but if you want to make it up to us, some food would be be hitting the spot right about now."

The team entered, Weiss making her way to the kitchen as the others were dropping off their gear. She found it strange to not find not only the chef, but no one else answering her calls as she was searching for anyone at the estate. She scratched her head, confounded that any of their workers could be slacking off to this degree. With the only solution left, she headed upstairs to ask the girls where they wanted to eat instead. As she was crossing the dining room, a sharp voice stopped her. "Weiss Schnee."

The heiress stopped in her tracks as she saw her father at the end of the table, cane by his side and rolling a lit cigar around in his fingers. More frightened than upset that she she didn't notice him on her first pass through the room and the familiar tone she remembered from her childhood had the hairs on her neck standing up. "Y-yes, Father."

"You remember how I said you were on thin ice? How you shouldn't be making me anymore cross with you because your relationship with that girl is going to strain our ties with the board of directors enough and your future in the company?" her father said, Weiss wondering what he could be talking about to bring about this standoffish demeanor.

"What could I have done? I spend too much treating my friends to a pleasant vacation?" Weiss fired back.

"One of your friends is the problem," he said as he revealed a brown envelope, flinging it across the table. Weiss opened it and out slid out a holographic display. She turned it on, the cyan display choking her as she saw what he was hinting at. In real time, it was Yang and Blake in the spot she picked out for their date earlier today. The overwhelming feeling she usually gets when she sees the couple fooling around was overshadowed by dread as she noticed what her father was referring to. In focus was Blake's cat ears, Yang playing with them as they were having a great time unknowingly being recorded.

"I... I thought I had picked the blind spot," she muttered under her breath, her father able to pick up the low response in the deathly quiet room.

"There is no blind spot to three-sixty degree cameras. After the many attacks from The White Fang, I decided to replace every camera that was under the company's surveillance system with them. Those Faunus have been crafty in their operations and it was recommended to invest in hoping that we can gather evidence for the police to use. Never did I suspect that I would get a call saying there's a Faunus on my premises. I told them to send me the details and then I see your friend, this Cat Faunus, disguised as a human living under my roof."

Weiss had effectively been backed into a corner, blaming herself for her own negligence that unconcealed Blake's identity. "Father, but I..."

"But nothing!" the man roared, hands slamming against the table, the noise echoing throughout the house. "You know the intricate nature of the business behind the curtains. You know that some of our practices are scrupulous in nature towards the Faunus. You know our status is wholly based on how we have separated ourselves from those vermin. You also know that we, as Schnees, can't associate with them for those very circumstances! The board will absolutely never allow a relationship other than servant with a Faunus!"

Weiss wasn't going to be talked down to, but his presence was still too great to be overtaken. "Blake, has done nothing..."

"I don't care," he interrupted. "You are taking the Schnee name and rolling around in the mud with it. You're friends and teammates with a Faunus, you're in lesbian relationship with a lucky peasant girl whose sister looks like common downtown Vale trash. Weiss, you are becoming the greatest disappointment to this generation with your disrespect for everything that our forefathers built. You are ungrateful, selfish and..."

Weiss couldn't hold back the rage anymore, the more the man spoke the less she could hear as she was seeing red, tears of anger starting to form as she restrained herself. Her fists clenched, going pale from the aggressiveness, as she was going to slam down on the table to silence him. Before she could act, someone else did first.

"Hey!"

Weiss turned around to see the rest of her team behind, unaware how long they were listening in. All of them were glaring at her father, Yang standing tall in the front, glimmer of red glossing over her eyes. "Who do you think you are? Don't answer. You know exactly who you think you are and you are not as remarkable as you might think. Where to you get off saying such horrible, disparaging things about people you don't even know and I especially include your daughter. If you knew anything about her, you would know she is the most selfless individual, giving us a vacation where we had none, accepting of all races, and has a massive heart that bleeds into everything she sets her mind to. A heart that I can tell you froze and made her this frigid woman that my sister's love had to melt over time."

"Weiss, tell your friend to stop addressing me and get out of my house."

"You are not using her as a relay when I'm talking to you. And another thing, Faunus are a great deal more family than you seem to be. Blake..." Yang continued her raving as it seemed to be losing no steam. Weiss had only a few moments to enjoy the blonde standing up for her, her words touching her heart that she did speak so highly of her. However, her father stepped closer to Yang, the look in his eye with an intent to stop this back talking, the last time Weiss saw such an expression left her with her key facial feature. With cane devilishly hidden behind him, Weiss needed something to counter. She glanced to the entryway, a few umbrellas in a cylindrical bin. The heiress reacted quick, grabbing the hooked handle and rushing to the blonde as her father transformed his cane into a short blade.

Weiss held with two hands the strike, the thin frame of steel bending as her father was laying into the heiress. With hard force, she was able to shove his blade away, her cold eyes growing colder as she looked with extreme prejudice that the next move either of them took would decide what happens next. The stillness in the air was suffocating as Weiss was locked eyes with her father, him not backing down as he was peeling off his blazer. "You want this. I see it in your eyes. Fine. Let's see how much a year at Beacon compares to a lifetime of experience."

Weiss has encountered Grimm that dwarf her, been fired upon by White Fang, and fought a fully automated robot armed with bullets that were as big as her, but she hasn't felt this kind of fear, this fear that regresses her to when she was scolded as a child and would run to her room for safety. Now there was no place to run, no one to hide behind, and wanted nothing more than to beat her father at his own game. She was about to lose a lot regardless of outcome, she decided to not hold back and made the first strike.

The heiress lunged at the man, the umbrella's cloth muffling the blows of steel hitting steel until enough strokes were shredding the cloth into pieces. Weiss' attacks were full of fury, her father showing fear as she was able to graze his shin. The man growing angrier as she was able to make contact on his cheek, an actual weapon would have drawn blood. The enraged Schnee took control, forcing Weiss to back up into the living room. She ducked, losing her balance and into a glass cabinet, shattering the casing holding a few rapiers. As she drew the umbrella, her father's weapon dealt the final blow to her impromptu defense.

Weiss grabbed one of the rapiers off the ground as she rolled away, using a glyph to propel a chair to give her enough time to get to her feet. The team watched in awe as the heiress was handling herself so well against her father, all thinking that if dust was in play the house would be reduced to rubble with the blows they were exchanging. Weiss wasn't holding back, defending when she needed to while still keeping the offensive to corner him. He saw through her plan, and when he saw his opening, he rushed her, pinning her to a wall. Weiss dropping the handle as hard as she could over his head, her father stumbling into the paned doors to the backyard, Weiss kicking up the table and forcing him through.

Weiss' father went through the glass doors, the pieces clanging as they were raining to the ground. Weiss knew she had bested him, but his glowing aura said it wasn't over. Through the brilliance of a full moon, the pale light was dull in comparison to her father. The heiress wasn't going to wait for him to prepare a plan, stomping towards him as she lunged at him. Weiss felt a change in pace, losing her courage as she was losing her ground, wondering if her father had been holding back as his attacks became quicker, more precise, more deadly.

The heiress was on the defensive, flipping tables and chairs with her glyphs to give her a breather, the barriers giving her half a second as he threw them by the wayside. The fight was taken to the pool, a litter of tree branches and foliage marking their fight. Weiss knew her ability to retreat was now impossible, her father able to effectively pull off what she couldn't. A fast riposte from her father had Weiss defenseless, her weapon clattering to the stone walkway. With a swift kick to the back of her knees, the sharp nerve damage had her kneeling before him.

Weiss knelled in defeat, her spirit broken as she was before her father again, looking up at his mean eyes and feeling as small as she used to. He examined her with the blade pushing up against her chin, the heiress unable to fight back, her loss too devastating as her father was still the giant that shadows her. "That scar I made when you were attempting this last time was an accident. This one isn't."

Weiss closed her eyes, incapable of moving as her father raised his weapon. When she felt the heat instead, she opened her eyes and swore she saw the sun.

*-Yang-*

Her semblance was ablaze, Yang's fire burning so hot that she could've have given scorch marks to the heiress and her father if their auras weren't protecting them. The blonde's hands stung, having caught the sword on its downward swing a risky move that paid off as she overheated the blade, Weiss' father backing away as he witnessed his weapon smelting. He quickly backed off, transforming his concealed weapon back into its original state, standing up straight as he addressed Yang. "You tell my daughter she has an hour to leave the premises. I will contact her when I'm good and ready, and she better not screen me or she will be just like you, finding a way to pay through Beacon."

The man left, dusting himself off as he walked back through the hole he was jettisoned out of. With the animosity subsiding with his presence gone, Yang dispersed her semblance as she turned around, extending her hand to the heiress, the blonde unable to make out what she feeling as she refused to look back at her.

"Take my hand," she spoke as soft as she could, uneasy with the amount of shaken breaths. The heiress swiped it out of the way, picking herself up, keeping head glued to the floor.

"Pack up, Ruby. Don't be the last one to the car." Weiss arranged their departure plans as she stormed off into the home, the leader following closely behind her. With just Blake and Yang, the Faunus sprung to her girlfriend's side, examining her hands with careful eyes.

"Does it hurt?"

"A little. I can't feel my palms, but I'll live. I'm more concerned about Weiss. This is a flesh wound compared the damage her father dealt." Yang looked with remorse towards the house.

"We can care to her later. Right now, let's pack our things. I'm sure his stipulations extend to the rest of us," Blake reminded, coercing the brawler to the guest house as the clock was ticking. Yang didn't waste time, throwing everything she had in a handful, picking out her usual getup for the trip home. The blonde aided her girlfriend with finding the rest of her outfit, wrapping her ribbons around her arms as the Faunus readjusted her bow.

"I really like what you said back there, that it's people like him that force me to hide, to be treated based on my merits rather than on my race," Blake said out of the blue.

"You know I think that. You don't have to say anything about it."

"I know. It's like 'I love you.' It's just really nice to hear every once in awhile. It's not that I don't believe you're always on my side, but I hear and see a lot of negativity about Faunus. Being around you girls, Team JNPR, Sun and Neptune is a bubble that has been missed since we left campus. This vacation, although refreshing, had effectively popped that bubble," Blake's gloomy look reflected in the mirror.

"I'm glad that we've created something so special at Beacon. We'll have to plan vacations better in the future. Maybe, when I'm not so Lien poor, we can go rent a place in Atlas, or since we are so Lien poor, try and not get caught by school officials and have a big castle to ourselves," Yang boosting the Faunus' mood as small smile formed on her face.

"I hope you weren't thinking that we try and have sex in every room."

"A girl can dream, can't she?" Yang quipped as she finished up dressing Blake. She let the Faunus take care of the luggage as the blonde went to get her Bumblebee. She rolled it out to the driveway, the limo parking next to her as she and Blake were securing their suitcases. The front door opened, the heiress wheeling out her luggage with her sister not far behind, her eyes hidden by the flip of her cloak. The driver loaded the bags as the couple were letting themselves into the car, Yang stopping Weiss as she was opening the door.

"Weiss, wait." Yang lightly jogged to her, the heiress attempting to make her escape before the blonde kept her in place. "Are you alright?"

The heiress didn't respond for a short while, Yang almost regretting reaching out as she saw her bubbling at the surface, her actions causing her to explode. Weiss rotated around, burying her face above Yang's chest, the blonde raising her hands out of innocence with the sudden embrace. The confusion resolved as she felt warm droplets slide down her cleavage, suppressed sobs murmured into her, the frail girl's body shaking seeking solace in the blonde. "Th-thank you, Yang, for being a friend."

The blonde's supporting nature kicking in unhesitatingly, encircling her arms around the distressed heiress, running her hands soothingly up and down her back as she let the ice princess have her well-earned cry. Yang looked over to Ruby and Blake, motioning them both over to take Weiss in a group hug, the heiress calming down as she felt her team surround her with devotion. "Let it out. Your friends are here."

The girls let Weiss cry for as long as she needed to, Yang afraid that her top was soaked to her skin with the amount of fluid, but the heiress showing this much vulnerability, that only Ruby has seen before, was relieving. Underneath the hard exterior she puts up, the blonde saw a strong woman that struggles with so much more than she lets on, bearing a burden that her father broke, leaving a spirit that only her sister could mend.

Yang and Blake waved goodbye as they were settling up on Bumblebee, the blonde giving Ruby some sisterly advice to get some sleep and let Weiss have her alone time. As the brawler was looking for her helmet, she felt a finger tap on her shoulder, the Faunus holding her bright orange headgear. The sobering moment minutes ago lifting her spirits up as Blake was wearing the helmet she originally bought for her.

Yang grasped the Faunus' head, giving a smooch, "You look so cute in that. I'm glad to see you changed your mind."

"Not to spoil your happiness, but this is only because it's night and you really stepped up this week not only for me, but for Weiss. My small reward for pulling this vacation from the brink and ending it on a sweet moment rather than leaving it sour."

"I'll take it. Also..." Yang pulled closer, Blake not minding the invasion of space. "What's my big reward?"

"Take me to a hotel and you can unwrap it." Blake placed a finger over Yang's lips on a condition she get to Vale in time for their favorite pizza place to still deliver. The blonde didn't waste any time and kicked Bumblebee into overdrive as they drove down the coast. The Faunus' arms tugged tightly around her stomach, Blake relaxing her head on her shoulder.

"_I should be worrying more about Weiss, but Ruby's got the hang of things. I've had a few days of resisting snatching my Faunus, and throwing her to the sheets. I'm glad we still have a month left of vacation, we all sort of need that longer buffer to collect ourselves, enjoy freedom, and do spend time with the ones we love._"


	23. Weiss: Scars Left By a Rose

Hello everybody. Just the usual thank you and sticking with the last batch of chapters. It's over and we're back to the regular format. Love all the support. Keep it up. It's always really nice to hear from you guys. In the coming months, my artist, Bakki, will get a couple more pics done by me. There will be more clothes and shenanigans this time around. That's all. Hope you enjoy the chapter and do all the fav/follow and reviews.

Weiss: Scars Left By a Rose

"_I appreciate it, but I think you're overstretching yourself for my sake. I feel bad for our vacation being cut short. You shouldn't be the one trying to make it better,_" the heiress typed into her scroll. She held the device to her chest, anticipating the almost immediate response of the furious pace of her girlfriend's thumbs.

A small vibration tickled her, the heiress reading Ruby's response. "_I want to. It's going to be fun and I would like to get you out of the house or rather mansion._"

Weiss frowned and almost typed in the appropriate emoticon, but she wanted to give a more thorough response than her initial reaction. The heiress knew the leader wasn't wrong, reclusing herself to the main Schnee Estate, coming out of her room to stretch her legs on occasion. The last day at the beach house kept repeating in her mind, her father stretching infinitely taller than her as she felt his power towering over her. The only memory shrouded was how fast Yang saved her, her last image being her father scolding her and raising his sword. The heiress was forever grateful for not only of the blonde's actions, but also how she stood up for everyone that day. Weiss was used to speaking freely with her father, herself regretting that the one time she needed to tell him off she couldn't find a voice. With the fallout with her parents, she asked a servant to keep her updated on their whereabouts, making sure that she wasn't going to cross paths with them anytime soon. As much money as her parents have sunk into the compound, they are rarely residents, Weiss finding her home the perfect place to seek safety.

After tearfully thanking Yang, she departed in the limo to drop Ruby off, the heiress lying down on Ruby's lap silently letting the drops fall, the leader reassuring it was fine moistening her battle skirt. Throughout the ride, her girlfriend ran her fingers though her hair and down her back, the heiress cradling into her with each loving stroke. Before Ruby fell asleep, she did promise she would make this better, the heiress now seeing what she meant as she was staring at the message, debating whether to join Ruby on her adventure.

"_I barely have the energy to get out of bed let alone make a trek through the mountain. That and I feel so morose that I feel that my mood is affecting the servants when they come and check on me. What's a couple of days with my contagious self? I'll have Ruby wanting to go home the first mile in. The spaz is being sincere, though. It doesn't feel like a forced effort to cheer me up, but something underlying beneath it all._"

There was a knock on her door, pulling Weiss out of her thoughts. "Enter," she announced from her bed.

A man stepped in, dressed in the usual black attire of the Schnee servants. "Miss Schnee, the pizza you ordered is here. What else would you like me to bring up along with a couple of slices?"

With her not seeing the sun in a couple of days, Weiss declined her servant's offer and put a robe over her nightgown. She went downstairs, taking a smell of her lunch and not finding it as appetizing as she was hoping. She placed it in the oven and vowed to return to it later, instead taking a walk outside to spur her appetite. The sun was warmer than her liking, but it was a sign that summer was still around. Weiss walked around her garden, seeking the one place Ruby would drag her to if she were here. In the corner was a selection of roses, the heiress drawn to the red pedals.

The thorns made her swear as they pricked her fingers, but was able to snag a single flower for her to bring to her room. She inhaled it, the scent only missing the smell of chocolate chip cookies that lingered on her girlfriend. "_I hate admitting this, but it feels... lonelier now that she's not here. I remember coming home from boarding school and relieved that it just gets to be me, for the most part, for a couple months. Now, Ruby has integrated herself so well into my life that I miss her. I miss the good morning kiss, the ever spouting words of cheerfulness that comes out of her, and her rosy scent. Even the times she uses my shampoo and smells like me, I miss. Could I go another few weeks till school starts again? Yes, but what else do I have got going on here?_"

Weiss peaked her head around, the only other person within her sights was one of the gardeners clipping the bushes into a dust crystal. Most people would consider this to be paradise with a mansion on a hilltop, the closest neighbor being a half mile away, and with a snap of her fingers, have just about anything. But it wasn't worth much when she couldn't share it with someone. If Blake was allowed on the premises, she imagined it would be a nice tea and passionate discussion about one of the latest novels. Her and Yang would be poolside, her positive exuberance keeping her mood afloat as they would be lazying about the water. Her and Ruby, Weiss' cheeks heating up as she thought about what they could be doing, maybe wouldn't have left the bedroom.

The heiress brought out her scroll, typing in her response. "_If you're willing to put up with a moody me, then I'll join you._" She hit the send button, a part of her hoping that Ruby would be discouraged by her openness and be left alone, but she was pleasantly let down moments later.

"_Great! I'll be over tomorrow bright and early. Be sure to be ready for an exhausting day,_" the message read, a smile curling around her face as there wasn't a hint of dismissal in the response.

"_She really knows how to sell water to a drowning man. I can't be more emotionally drained than I am now. Might as well just go with whatever she has planned,_" Weiss thought, happily awaiting to see her girlfriend soon. As she backtracked to her room for food, she poured a cup of water and brought it with her, replacing the week old rose who had lost most of its luster. "_Like the rose, you seem to renew my spirits every time I'm down. I trust you, Ruby Rose._"

* * *

><p>The morning came faster than the heiress was hoping, her alarm louder and more obnoxious than usual with its insufferable beeping. She slammed her scroll to the ground after it had been shut off, frowning as she looked towards the window and seeing the darkness of night. She rolled herself out of her comfy sheets, not having cared for her appearance for a week meant she had to put in a solid effort before she terrifies Ruby with the black circles under her eyes.<p>

Weiss had to pat herself on the back when the doorbell rang and she had just finished with the minor details of her makeup. She descended to the first floor, Ruby with child-like enthusiasm was taking in the entryway to the Schnee Estate, Weiss remembering that she hadn't been a place more lavish than Beacon. "Good morning, Ruby," the pleasantry startling the leader.

"Morning to you too, Weiss." Ruby dashed over and gave her a much yearned for kiss, the heiress grabbing her by the collar and giving her own peck. As she was giving her girlfriend a hug, she couldn't wrap her arms around her from the massive rucksack on her back.

"What's with all this? If we're going camping, I'm going to need a lot more than the normal provisions to be appeased," Weiss warned.

"Oh, this? It's just what we'll probably need. I packed for us both. All you need to to bring is yourself and Myrtenaster," Ruby happily explained, the heiress now noticing that Crescent Rose had been concealed under the leader's cloak.

"I don't like where this is headed. I know we did this whole date once before, but the whole point of a vacation is to get away from the usual stressful routine, not recreate it for pleasure."

"Bring your weapon, please. I don't want to alarm you, but you're going to have to trust me on this one. Please don't make me spoil the surprise." Ruby grasped the heiress' hands, Weiss not doubting her girlfriend would asking her to bring Myrtenaster for her own benefit. She agreed and ordered the driver to have the limo outside before she came down. Weiss unclasped her case, her flawless weapon glimmering in the artificial light. She didn't know what Ruby had planned, but she decided to come fully prepared, loading up her dust slots and carrying an extra few vials for a quick reload.

Weiss returned to her girlfriend, already seated in the limo and had a couple of cups of coffee for them to share. "Here you go."

"You are far too energetic for this time in the morning." Weiss took a sip, the warm brew welcoming in the cool morning.

"I might have had a shot of espresso... or two before coming here. I was up longer than I wanted to double check and make sure I had enough of everything."

"I hope you remembered to bring some pills. You are going to crash hard with that much caffeine coursing through you," the heiress carrying a concerned look as she noticed a few jitters in her girlfriend's movements.

"You need to turn that frown upside down." Ruby reached over and pulled Weiss' lips to a stretched smile. "I know you said I had to deal with your mood. I will change it before we get out of the car," Ruby pronounced, an eager smile accompanied by a zealous hug from her, the charming action already warming the heiress' heart. The rest of the trip, the leader kept to her promise, even using cheap tactics as she tickled Weiss' sides. Besides that, Ruby was being more mature than she knew capable, the heiress appreciative with a normal conversation with another individual, her lack of social interaction making her more invested in the quality time.

The car ride wasn't long, but it was more than what Weiss was bargaining for when she agreed to this. They were at the bottom of a mountain range, the driver alerting them that he can only continue till the next turn out, the operating system telling him that the roads are becoming too kinked for the limo to maneuver. Ruby and Weiss were dropped off, the leader gathering her packs from the trunk as Weiss was directing her driver.

"Be at the bottom of the mountain and stay in the inn. Ruby says this should only be a day trip, but be prepared of any change in that plan. If I can't get signal, assume the worst, but if I haven't come back to this spot by daybreak, call in a search team. I've marked where Ruby is taking me and all the possible paths."

"Yes, Miss Schnee. Have a fun hike," the driver acknowledged. The limo sped off, Ruby trucking the backpack as she walked to Weiss' side.

"I didn't anticipate being dropped off here so we have a little bit to cover so we can have lunch. Come on, let's get going." Ruby sufficiently gave a smack to Weiss' rear, the action spurring her to give chase to the leader, bursting her semblance to keep out of reach of the heiress each time.

"Just because I'm in a better mood, doesn't mean I'm in a good mood. Watch yourself, Ruby Rose," Weiss threatened, the leader unaffected by the ominous warning, Ruby sticking out her tongue to taunt the heiress. She gave chase, knowing she was being played, but was having fun running after Ruby after a week of laying about. After her spirit being broken, it was nice to feel rife with life.

The heiress was eventually able to catch up to Ruby, mussing up her hair sufficiently as she playfully smothered her. Weiss noticed why her girlfriend stopped, a secluded dirt path leading into the forest was off the the side. "This is it. At least, I think it is. I haven't been here in about a year."

Weiss' ear picked up on the last sentence made her tense, scared of what could be at the end of all of this. "Why does it feel like we're on a training mission at school?"

"We don't get to have a lunch on those missions." Ruby taking a quick glance at her scroll. "We actually made great time." the leader securing Weiss' hand in hers. "Come on. Don't be scared."

"I'm not scared. I'm just anxious around unfamiliar territory is all."

Ruby giggled at her girlfriend's coverup. "Don't worry about that. I'll fill you in on every little detail," the leader insured, Weiss not realizing at the time that she did indeed mean everything. Every tree, every bush, and every animal was explained it more detail than a Professor Port story tangent. The heiress did enjoy learning, but was more interested in how Ruby gained all this knowledge in the first place.

Their boots crunched against the soft dirt, branches, and early fall leaves crumbling in the treads. Weiss could tell Ruby was restraining from dragging her to their destination, the tone in her voice so lively with everything that was crossing her path. "Oh my gosh, did you hear that? That was the siren call of a Tuffed Titmouse. I think it's looking for its mate that might have been gone from the nest too long."

"How are you an encyclopedic journal of everything in the landscape?"

"You know, we all have our strengths and weakness. You're an invaluable resource in dust qualities and where to find a quick vein," Ruby brushed off her question, the heiress not to be derailed by the leader's sleaze.

"Don't be buttering me up with a compliment. What's with you and this place?" Weiss demanded, Ruby taking a moment to look around, her eyes shining as she saw a thicket of trees at the dead end of the trail.

"You give me another hundred feet and I'll show you," Ruby answered, their pace quickening towards the thicket of trees and bushes. Weiss unsheathed her sword and began hacking away at the gnawing foliage, the heiress annoyed whenever she felt the forceful tug of a plant's thorns snagging her skirt. A quick dispensing of green lead the couple to an open rocky surface, a small patch of grass in the center, and a curious looking log cabin in the clearing.

"This is extraordinary. Where are we?" Weiss' breath taken from the peaceful change of scenery.

"It's where I used to call my summer home," she lowly answered, the same astonished expression the heiress had was on Ruby's as she doubled back to her partner's response. A stunned Weiss was guided by the leader to the log cabin, the closer they got the less quaint it seemed. The wood was scared by Beowolf claws, windows busted, and a hole in the roof just to start. Ruby paused outside of the door, Weiss unsure of what to say as she saw uneasiness in her eyes staring down the door. Her partner's hand gripped hers harder, palms slick with sweat got Weiss to react.

"Ruby... if this is what I think it is, then I'm not sure if you should be doing this," Weiss uncertain if the leader even heard her with the stillness in her movements.

Ruby took a deep breath and placed her hand on the knob, "I want to, though. Deep down, I kind of need to." She entered the house and the couple stepped in. "It's more preserved than I thought it would be at this stage."

Weiss would have loved to known what it looked like before this as it looked like a hurricane tore through it. The part of the exterior she was on was a sweet delusion as half of the wall was blown out on the other side, a stone fireplace in pieces as the cobblestone rocks were shattered on the ground, the pit the only part recognizable from the debris. Weiss didn't know what this area used to be, but she guessed the living room, a few empty portraits and part of a couch still present. She looked beyond the boundless areas, a wooden stove tucked in the corner, and a toilet exposed of where the bathroom used to be. Patches of grass were starting to grow in the uprooted floorboards, nature reclaiming this house year by year.

"Stay here," Ruby requested, Weiss obeying as she occupied herself with the wreckage. She picked up one of the picture frames, all of them blank making Weiss think back to what Ruby said earlier.

"_She came here and got these recently. No hiker would have any purpose in stealing a keepsake and I doubt Beowolves diet changed to family photographs. She put on such a brave face before coming here, almost skipping her way up the mountain until it was staring her in the face. I don't get it, though, this was supposed to cheer me up? I feel worse now because I don't know how to make the situation better._"

Weiss heard the footsteps behind her, straightening herself to meet her girlfriend, a polish and cloth in her hands. "Hey, Weiss. I'm sorry I pulled a one-eighty back there. It seems it's still a bit too much for me to take."

"Then why bring me here? It's not that I'm complaining, but you didn't pick this spot arbitrarily."

"It's because last week I learned so much about you. Not that you told me directly, but I was able to piece a lot of it together with everything that happened. You were vulnerable and confided with me a lot about the past and I really appreciated when you did that. It showed me that you take me serious enough as a person, a girlfriend, and an adult to handle that kind of sensitive information. I know you promised to fill me in after vacation, but that opportunity is gone. So, I didn't see a reason to not break my promise and be honest with you."

Weiss was bowled over by the premeditated thoughts put into this trip. She had no idea Ruby was trying to get her out of the house for more than just a good time, but to also share a dark part of her life. Her father involuntarily shared with the team more than she wanted them to know, she also wasn't going to force information out of her girlfriend when she wasn't ready as well.

"Ruby, you don't have to do..." Weiss' plea interrupted by the leader.

"I know what you're going to say. That I don't have to push myself to do this, but sometimes we need that push to get over the next obstacle. This is one that I've been trying to overcome for years, but I knew I couldn't do it without someone else... without you." Gray eyes misty from confessing.

Weiss knew that there was nothing new to say to try and deter Ruby from whatever she came here to do. The heiress had mixed feelings on the matter, but as she saw her girlfriend exposing herself purely to her, she was unable to find the words to deny her wish. Weiss walked over, fighting her own tears as Ruby's moving words were tugging at her heartstrings. The heiress caught a tear with her thumb on her girlfriend's cheek, a comforting smile on her face as she consoled Ruby.

"Thank you for including me then. What's next?" Weiss soothingly asked, Ruby smiling under the glassy look in her eyes.

"Well, I felt it fair that if I met your parents, you should meet mine," Ruby stated, the pale girl's face getting whiter as she knew what her partner was inclining. The cabin was in the distance as they walked to a steep cliff side. Weiss took a look over the edge, the bottom of the ravine making her ill as she saw how high a drop it was. A river ran strong through the cavernous crevice, the heiress gluing herself to Ruby as they walked the edge.

An odd rock came into her field of vision, the formation out of place on the flat landscape. As she came closer she saw the reason why it was so disproportionate. It was placed there by a person, not created by nature. The rectangular marker was of gray solid granite, Ruby placing her pack next to the monument and took out her polish and cloth, wiping away the grime and weathered wear. As Weiss got a better look, it was exactly what she was hoping it wasn't. The inscription on the front read '_Summer Rose._'

"How do you know about this? I thought you knew nothing about your mom's disappearance."

"When I was at home one day, on Dad's desk, there was a letter on leads to her case. I didn't need coaxing and went to find the place myself. I came here and found this. I suspect Dad and Yang have been hiding this from me for whatever reason, but at least they left this headstone as a marker."

"Need a hand?" she asked, as she knelt next to her girlfriend.

"Nah. This is the yearly maintenance. It doesn't take long. Just a polishing, refurbishing, and cutting away the pesky weeds that grow around the cracks," Ruby nonchalantly answered, the leader having an apathetic tone as if this was just a yearly chore that became normal. Weiss sat there, hands in her lap, as she watched diligently as Ruby cared for the gravestone, the heiress wondering if she would even bother visiting her parents outside of publicity reasons after they pass. Ruby had a special bond with her mother, one Weiss was jealous of and one that was sparking her intrigue. She was finding it hard to find the right question, debating whether to sit silently and observe, but she wasn't invited out here to be an idle spectator.

"So... what was she like?" Weiss cheeped out, Ruby breaking her casual scrubbing at the unexpected curve ball thrown at her.

"She was... she was my mom. She was the bright light in the household, always keeping me, Yang, and my dad afloat when the times got tough. As a huntress, she's who I model myself after. She was so ridiculously professional and deadly that she defied gender. People respected her because of her skill, willing to take her leadership not only seriously, but also not wanting to embarrass themselves because of her reputation. I always remember, even after the most exhausting day, she would come kiss my head good night. I got so used to it that I would stay up as long as I could and wait for it. Eventually I had to grow out of that, my mom overextending herself as a huntress and wouldn't be home some nights."

Weiss was blithe in seeing Ruby's spirits rise as she talked so highly of her mother. She could only imagine how she was flattering her own mother when describing her to Ruby the first time. She let her continue. "She was all about creative thinking, keeping it together when it counts, and outclassing every pretentious militia or overblown Grimm that was thrown in her path. Seeing her do everything so flawless, in my eyes, made me love my mom more. She was my hero and... that was why it crushed me to hear that she... died."

Weiss' heart skipped a beat as Ruby was able to speak out loud about her mother's death. She saw Ruby hiding her eyes, a sniffle of mucus giving away that the memory was overtaking her. Weiss wrapped her arms around Ruby as she continued her task. "Ruby, you don't have to go there. I was actually getting invested in how much you marvel your mother."

"That's-that's really ni-nice of you to say, Weiss, but... you were curious and... and I'm ready to speak about it. Besides, you've asked multiple times."

"I don't care if I've asked a million times. I want you to look at me and tell me you're ready," Weiss demanded, her authoritative manner seeping out as she was wanting Ruby to give more thought into this than because she poked around the issue once. Without remonstrance, the leader turned around, her eyes red, but tears not present as she fixated her gaze onto the heiress. Weiss wasn't going to protest further, resolving to stay silent and moved her hands down, clasping one of her girlfriend's as Ruby took deep breaths to center herself.

*-Ruby-*

Ruby consciously tried not to crush Weiss' hands as she was drawing together the courage to speak on the matter. A single tear ran down her cheek, but Ruby hoped no more would fall as she delved deep into a memory that escaped only on occasion in nightmares. "According to the dossier, in the summer home, there was a laptop, barely functional but it contained a video diary of one of the people who was on my mom's team for the mission. It had both video of the fight and what happened after. It was... it was a winter night. My mom had been home more nursing a leg wound, it crushed by a ship door slamming down on it. My mom was great, but I got her klutziness from her. Half the team was gone out to a mission that took them away for a few weeks."

Ruby tugged affectionately at her red cloak as she spoke. "I remember the times we'd come up here, Mom and Dad keeping the perimeter clear so we could enjoy nature without the fear of Grimm. Even with all of their huntsmen expertise, there was the occasional Grimm that would prowl around the cabin, but my mom would dispatch it with ease. It wasn't until that night that they united. From what I learned about Grimm so far in school, the Beowolves that were sneaking about were scouts looking for food and shelter. When they didn't come back, the pack got smarter, and the lot of them must have come in this direction."

A nervous cough interrupted the story, the scene recreating in her mind, the fears all being relived as she continued. "From what the video diary described, they were inside, my mom sensing that there was a great disturbance in the trip alarms around the perimeter. Apparently the guy filming had a worse wound, he barely able to stand up let alone fight. She told him to sit tight and wait for her to come back. He stood at the kitchen window, having video evidence being crucial to missions. Even if it was scaled back and the actions happening were barely visible, I saw her in the middle of the field, white cloak almost invisible in the snow flowing in the wind and her weapon in hand. I see one, then two Beowovles go in. Each were slaughtered with a few fast movements and then that's when I see the pack of them surround her. There were dozens, maybe even a hundred. The black mass of Grimm encircled her and, for the first time, I was panic-stricken over my mother's safety..."

A white silk pressed against her cheek, Weiss tending to the water that glazed her face. Ruby hadn't realized she was overwhelmed like a dam, overflowing and the heiress catching the fallout. Weiss moved closer, keeping her hushed disposition, Ruby accepting her consoling nature as she heedlessly cradled into her body. "I... sat there watching, unable to blink as I kept my eyes open, but my mom kept getting ganked. Beowolves landed sneaky hits on her. With her bum leg... it severely affected how she fought. Before I knew it, she was only on the defensive as the Beowolves trapped her here... There weren't many left, but the blows had taken their toll, my mom holding herself by sheer will at that point. Then the alpha came along and... in a... in a single misstep was able to trap my mom and I saw the beast disappear over the cliff with her."

Ruby uncontrollably sobbed into Weiss shoulder, the leader's emotions triggered after she heard herself say something she hasn't spoken of for almost a decade. Even in her weeping state, she was determined to get to the end, doing her best to finish the story as she sobered up. "I screamed... as if I was there on the counter watching it happen. The video cuts away after that, the man chronicled the events as best he could, hoping for help to come, but it never did. After watching... I ran into my bedroom... barred it and kept to myself. Yang nearly busted down the door to get me out, but Dad kept their heads cool, slipping food underneath the door and discounting it as a childhood power tantrum. I-I barely ate what was served-served to me, too distraught to think about anything else with that image playing over... and over. I wrapped myself in my cloak, the co-cold seeping throughout the house and regretting that I ever got curious looking for her. After sobering up, I learned that what hurt the most was sitting back and watching, wanting to jump into the screen and help her... It hurt not be-being able to do anything. I-I... vowed then to never sit by and watch... to make my mom proud that her... de-death wasn't in vain."

Ruby didn't know how long she was crying in Weiss' arms, the leader so grateful that she was being patient with her, finding her hands stroking down her back potent in calming her down. The ice queen brushed her bangs from her tear-stained eyes, her jacket bearing Ruby's grief. Weiss' soft voice broke through the sniffles and whimpers, "I... I think your mother would have nothing, but pride of who you are. I can't speak for her, but you shine at one of the most prestigious academies in the world, you're an incredible leader who is selfless with her skills and knowledge that benefit us all, and a massive heart with your boundless spewing of cheer. Never think you're anything less than distinguished."

Ruby had a feint smile grow on her face from the clumsiness of Weiss' words, but she could have said an inappropriate joke and it would have made the leader content. That fact that Weiss wasn't running, but embracing her dark past was more than what she was expecting. The heiress quickly retracted her statement. "I'm sorry. That sounded like pandering. Just forget I said it."

The leader was fine with what Weiss said as her intentions were pure, but her wit sparked. Ruby responded to the heiress' apology. "Mom would have loved you."

"Re-really?" the heiress not anticipating Ruby to speak was startled by the assumption. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, for one, she would love to see this picture. She and Dad were very close and I'm sure it would be piece of mind knowing I'm in capable hands," Ruby interlacing her fingers with the thin digits of her lover.

"Your sister had the same sentiments."

"That and I know you would try too hard to get her to like you. You would be no different than the rookies on her team and have a little fun when you were around."

"I would not... oh who am I kidding? I'd be rehearsing every possible question in my head before we met," Weiss admitted, Ruby's sadness dissipating as she and her ice princess sat there. The heiress diverted the conversation to the halcyon days of Ruby's youth, the leader happy to talk about the many misadventures with her sister. As she was talking of a time Yang was trying to hide the expensive fossil they broke underneath the couch, Weiss dug into her rucksack, fishing the food she had forgotten she prepared. The heiress pulled out the pair of chicken garlic sandwiches, handing one over to her.

"And then she... Oh, no thank you. The roller coaster that I've been on has my stomach in a knot," Ruby declined, Weiss seeing past the facade and persisted.

"This is no different than the times you malnourish your body because you're stressing out studying. It's why I stopped letting you study alone in the first place. You end up starving yourself needlessly. I'm not saying eat the whole thing, but..." Weiss pinching off an end and presenting the morsel in Ruby's face, "it's better to have something in you than nothing."

Ruby let Weiss have her way, taking the bite from her hand and having qualms about making a substandard sandwich. "I could've done better."

"Perhaps, but it's honestly refreshing to have something other than pizza. In order to be less of a hassle to the servants, I've been having whatever was in the area deliver. Unfortunately the only restaurant that did was Yang and Blake's favorite pizza place." A sour tone left at the last sentiment, Ruby's mood also curdling as she was brought back to the dorm.

"Pizza is great, but I swear, ever since they started eating that in conjuncture with sex, I get queasy sometimes when I smell their order," Ruby confirmed.

"I'm so glad I'm not the only one that thinks that. Good thing Blake's favorite ingredient is anchovies. I'm not to walk into that salty scent anywhere at a restaurant," Weiss commented, Ruby ecstatic with how this turned out. In her imagination, this was the closest she could come to have lunch with her mom and introducing her to Weiss. Just as the heiress respected her idea of the double date, she was receptive to this bizarre state of affairs, heartening her already solid love for Weiss.

Ruby and Weiss had a more than pleasant time, the leader even asking her help to finish polishing the headstone. The heiress, with her compulsive behavior, was able to have it glimmering in the afternoon sun when it broke through the clouds. Before leaving, Ruby kissed the mound. "Goodbye, Mom."

Weiss grasped the leader's hand, heading back to the cabin to put away the polish and cloth. "Thank you, Weiss. This was a gamble in my mind on how you would react. I'm glad you didn't run."

"I would like more credit than that," she remarked. "You still haven't run after meeting my parents. You had a week to leave, then you do this."

"I'm not leaving your side. That wasn't some heat of the moment promise to get you to make out with me more. If there was ever a time you needed me to just 'be there', it was then. And to give you more credit, I-I don't think anyone would have handled having lunch at a grave site better. Sorry that I used your jacket as a tissue."

"It all comes out in the wash. At least I can say this, I like my girlfriend's mother," Weiss added, Ruby more that satisfied with how today had went. They reached the cabin, Ruby dropping off the rucksack and putting away the tools. As her head was under the blasted out bathroom sink, she felt a presence of a Grimm nearby.

"Ruby, do you feel that?" Weiss called out from the living room

"Yes," the leader rushing out to meet her girlfriend. "I wasn't even looking at the time, but it's almost dusk. We're going to meet them on the way back, so do you want fight them here or on the pathway?"

Ruby saw Weiss look back, the leader grabbing her face and turning it back to her. "Don't think about that. My vote is here."

Weiss was downcast, knowing Ruby's had read her thoughts. "My vote is here as well. More open ground means you can be more effective zipping about." The leader dropped her backpack and ran out to the field. The thickness of the trees and the optimal light was making it hard for either of them to spot where the Grimm were coming from. One emerged from the trees, slowly skulking its way up to them. Wanting him to make the first strike, Ruby unfolded Crescent Rose, Weiss joining in with an offensive pose with Myrtenaster on hand. The Beowolf stopped suddenly, the creature howling sent a shiver up her spine, Ruby's grip on Crescent Rose slipping as the familiar cry made her tremble.

Ruby and Weiss both knew from Professor Port's class that was a call for reinforcements. With a pack of them on the way, one less Beowolf would prove fruitful. Ruby flashed forward, cutting the tendons of the beast with the heiress rushing after and mercifully pushing her blade through its skull. In the distance, the rustling of bushes and trees was foreboding of a larger pack than normal, Ruby feeling her heart pound against her chest as she was chronicling the night from her own perspective.

There were dozens of the creatures billowing out from the foliage coverage, snarling and barking at the two women who were backing up to center themselves. As Ruby was backtracking, she fumbled, Weiss catching her by the arm, her icy gaze tending to the fear that was effecting her. "Team effort. I'll stick with you."

Ruby felt her anxiety subsiding as Weiss pulled her to her feet. "Al-alright. Ice Flower," the leader scanning the situation, the Grimm growing restless as the two stood their ground, not letting the beasts intimidate them into a corner they couldn't fight out of. Ruby noticed a smaller one to her left, seeing a perfect place to start their assault. "Follow me to the left. Be sure to defend me as I mow them down and not get us pinned."

"Say when," Weiss said under her breath.

"Now!" Ruby dashed forward, heavily swinging Crescent Rose down on the runt of the litter, the others needing no further signal to begin their attack. Ruby and Weiss dodged the maws and paws, the heiress firing off small bursts of red dust to the ones gaining behind them while Ruby was doing her best to hack and slash through them. With less Grimm, the battlefield became more adaptable to their fighting style. Weiss fired blasts of ice under Ruby's feet, the leader gliding around the slick surface, using momentum from Crescent Rose's blasts to propel her across the ground, the bullets landing hits on the Beowolves chasing the prey that was blatantly taunting them.

Ruby stumbled as the ice beneath her stopped forming, the leader searching for Weiss who was having her own bit of trouble as a trio of creatures were concentrating on her. The leader transported back to that night watching her mom in the distance so long ago, almost faltering and missing her shot as she fumbled to aim Crescent Rose. Ruby took a prone stance, aiming, and successfully hitting one of the Beowolves as it was lunging for Weiss. The heiress glanced over, recognized her savior and immediately brought back to the enemies in front of her.

Ruby was only able to enjoy her selfless action of a second, a Beowolf pouncing on the leader, pinning an arm to the craggy ground. Ruby's heart thudded in her throat as she stared down the maw of the beast, his breath glazing her face as he roared at her. The adrenaline was running at its peak, rotating her arm in the socket to poke the spear end of Crescent Rose into its eye. The creature blared out a horrific screech, frantically swiping in front of it, the massive paw landing a lucky strike on Ruby's forearm. A hurt grunt escaped her, Ruby glancing at the damage, to dismay was a lot more than she was anticipating. A four inch gash tore through her blouse, the blood staining the ground as it dripped off her wrist.

Ruby shuffled her injury down her list of priorities and located Weiss, flash stepping to her side as there was only a few Beowolves left attacking her. "You should have used the element of surprise and struck them in the back."

"Not when this is more effective." Ruby transformed her weapon to scythe form, rushing one the beasts to critically injuring it as her blade cut through the base of its throat. A flashy blast to the beast with her high caliber end splattered the head. Ruby released her semblance and burst in circles around the last two, slicing appearing around them as Weiss disposed of them with a couple blasts of dust.

Ruby's chest begged for air as the battle had ended, staggering herself to her girlfriend, propping herself with Crescent Rose. "You fine?"

"Yes, but I can tell you're not," Weiss pointed towards the mangled mess of her arm.

Ruby hid her arm from the heiress' view. "It's just a flesh wound. Don't worry..."

"Give me," Weiss ordered, Ruby giving in, aware that the heiress would be more forceful if she kept eluding her. She raised her laceration for her girlfriend to view, a large gasp leaving her as she got a better screening. "Flesh wound, my slender white butt. That Beowolf tore into you. Come on, we'll stitch this up and..."

More rustling from the forest became disconcerting, the couple dreading that this was only the beginning. Ruby could feel her body strain as Beowolf after Beowolf revealed themselves. Ruby didn't want to back up to the edge, shaken as she was in the same situation as her mom all those years ago. The leader felt a lump in her throat, the memory flooding her conscious weakening her stance as she stared at the many red eyes piercing through her. In her frayed condition, it was harder to find the one plan to get her and Weiss out of here. She analyzed her options, fighting another pack of them not her favorite as the size was growing. Weiss may have noticed Ruby's state, a firm, but cold hand gripping her shoulder as she propped her up. Ruby was thankful that the heiress had poor circulation as her mind clicked, "Weiss, you've got be be quick. When I give the command, freeze the ground below us. Until then, frost-tip my bullets as I aggravate them."

A series of glyphs appeared in front of her as she transformed Crescent Rose into a sniper. "Just tell me when," Weiss said, Ruby firing at random, watching the creatures fall at the ice encroached around their heads. The beasts blitzed, the leader lacing her arm around Weiss' waist, reading her stance. "Now!"

The heiress plunged Myrtenaster to the ground, a circle of ice forging under the paws of the Beowovles. As they were loosing their footing, Ruby's semblance fled them to safety as the rest of the pack were sent tumbling off the cliff. Unfortunately, she didn't anticipate the layer of ice to affect her footwork as well, plunging them into heavy shrubs that broke their momentum. Ruby clutched her girlfriend tight, protecting her from the brunt of the pain, releasing her as fast as her injury could let her. Weiss rose her head from her chest, the leader partially successful in her attempt. The heiress' hair was dotted with leaves stuck in the strands, the side of her dress soaking in her fresh blood.

"Sorry..." she coughed out, the wind having been knocked out of her lungs with the hit. Weiss peered down, following her girlfriend's attention, the blunt red stain dyeing her dress hard to miss.

"Well, to the dry cleaner with this one, and before you ask, I'm paying for it," Weiss said, getting off the wounded and trucking her up. "Do you think you can make it down the trail enough for me to get signal? I can have us flown out of here in less than an hour."

"Yeah. Let me go get my things," Ruby already making her way back to the cabin before Weiss caught her.

"Allow me," the heiress slightly annoyed with Ruby's disregard for her injury.

As the two were making it down the mountain, Weiss checked her scroll every minute as she used a first aid kit from Ruby's supplies. The rag inside almost needed to be rung out as she applied pressure to the area. Ruby winced at the pain, but screamed as the alcohol was poured over it. "Ow ow ow. I think being bitten by that thing would have been less painful."

"Stop squirming around and let me tape the cloth to you. You think this is fun, wait till I get to stitch you up when we stop." Weiss examined the gash one last time before covering, the heiress' face grimacing at that severity of the wound. "You must have been shaken up back there. This kind of injury is rare for you."

"Yeah... I was. When I saw you getting yourself cornered, the idea of someone else getting hurt there again petrified me. So I acted without thinking, quickly picking off one that was attacking you which left me open," Ruby explained, Weiss face conflicted by the information.

"I'm not going to pretend to know what could've happened if you didn't do that, so thank you. We're going to get hurt, Ruby. Probably a lot if we continue down this career so I can't promise you that you won't see me with another scar one day. There is one thing, and I know it's cliché, but I promise to never die. The notion of leaving you alone to fend for yourself is more than enough to keep fighting." Weiss kept the mood light with her smart assertion, Ruby amused as her girlfriend's humor masked the embarrassing proposition.

"Then I promise to make sure you keep that promise," she pledged, Weiss rolling her eyes to how big of a dork she could be. Half way down, the heiress was able to get signal and called in a Schnee rescue aircraft. Ruby sat on her lap, carefully plucking leaves out of the white tresses to distract herself from the needle piercing her arm as Weiss stitched her together. As the airship arrived, Ruby was confident enough in her girlfriend's patching to not go to a hospital, both heading to the Schnee Estate.

Ruby slumped her head against Weiss' shoulder, the heiress taking her cloak and wrapping them inside it. The leader found the humming of the jets calming, having woken up at the crack of dawn and an emotional and physically draining day had her dozing off for a small nap. "_Maybe it is that we have nontraditional parental relations is what makes us compatible, but what made me stay by her when her dad kicked her out is because I love her. I didn't run and embraced her just as she did me. Mom would be happy... that we found each other._"


	24. Yang: Cat's Cradle

Hello again. There weeks pass by so fast, but here we are again. Super excited to announce commissions for Bumblebee ad White Rose have begun so between chapters, Bakki should have the new Bumblebee one finished. Be sure to check his dArt out periodically. Also, thank you for all the support. We're nearing 700 followers and probably, by the next chapter, will break past the milestone. Fav/follow and review and hope you enjoy this little bit of Bumblebee.

Yang: Cat's Cradle

"_Don't be like that, Blake. I have nothing to do around here and you've been over to my house three times. I wouldn't mind a change of scenery,_" Yang texted, placing her scroll on her head as she impatiently waited for her girlfriend's reply. The blonde was about to die from boredom, daytime television taking a toll on her sanity as she was getting lost in a delirium. Ruby was over at the massive Schnee Estate, having an elongated stay as her day trip extended. Yang was completely fine with the ordeal except for the part that it left her alone, calling Blake over whenever she could, but the Faunus was busy some days.

A vibration emitted from her forehead, message reading, "_I'm sorry. I have projects around the house and I prefer to do them alone._"

"_You have got to be kidding me. I know not to press her when she's clearly drawing a boundary, but I would take chores over sitting here and wasting away a day. I swear, if I have to watch another rerun of this sitcom, I'm going to set something on fire. I wonder why she won't let me go to her house? The night we were kicked out of the summer home, we stayed at a hotel and she bailed early in the morning with a cab. She didn't even say goodbye to me. Blake can be sneaky and aloof, but she's never been one to hold secrets at this point in our relationship._"

As another commercial break came on, Yang officially lost her patience with television and got up off the couch, pacing back and forth to figure out the reason why Blake was being so withdrawn. The blonde continued her conversation with Blake, trying to be more subtle with divulging information from the Faunus, but she wasn't getting anywhere. Yang was disheartened by Blake's distance she was forcing her to stay at. The blonde didn't want to be so underhanded with going around her girlfriend's words, but the worst that could happen was a scolding and being sent back home. At least it would give her a reason to get out of the house.

She hesitated as she highlighted the next contact she was going to call, but she was the only one who could help her. Yang crossed her fingers, hoping she wasn't interrupting the couple in bedroom antics. To her relief, the heiress answered. "Hello, Yang. What's up?"

"Hey, Weiss. I was just checking up on you and Ruby. How's it going so far?" Yang easing her way into getting her desired information.

"It's been going great. Ruby's been a delight to have around. She says it's like visiting Beacon all over again as she continues to explore the house and don't get me started on the armory. We spent the whole day in there as I saw childlike enthusiasm having a dry run with about every weapon. Other than that, it has been other miscellaneous couple activities. The usual lounging about and going into town for some light shopping. Mind if I ask you a question, though?"

"Yeah, sure."

"What's the real reason you called?" Weiss asked, the blonde having a small chill run through her as she felt like the heiress read her mind.

"I'm sorry. A couple of friends can't have a lovely chat on a summer afternoon?" Yang shrugged off, but the heiress was far to smart to not notice the uptick in the blonde's lie.

"Not really. I think you forget that the idea of conversation between people of our generation is texting. Don't try and deny it either. I have proof of you and Ruby having a full discussion about that wretched movie you two saw the other day. You call in an emergency and I would think this is no different," Weiss explained, Yang feeling pinned to the wall as the heiress was able to dismantle her ruse so effectively.

"Alright, you caught me. I could use your help in finding an address," Yang asked.

"It is pretty crazy how money and power can give a few unscrupulous pulls. Who do I put my team on looking for?" Weiss requested, the blonde embarrassed with her answer.

"I sort of need you to look for... Blake's," Yang sheepishly said, the inquiry spurring Weiss to dive into the subject with slight urgency in her tone.

"Is she in trouble? You need Ruby and I for this?"

"No. It' s nothing like that. At least I hope not. She won't let me go over to her house and has been very mysterious about where she lives. I thought about stopping over to make sure she's OK, but also spend some time with her. I know I'm walking into an Ursa's den with Blake continuously declining this information so I don't need a lecture. I halfway expect to be chewed out when I get there, but you'd be doing me a huge solid if I can get an address and spend my day with Blake," Yang graciously laid it out on the table so the heiress doesn't get further suspicious with her.

There was a small pause, Yang crossing her fingers as she waited. "Fine. I'll help you."

"Yes! You're the best, Weiss."

"On two conditions." Yang hoped she would get a free favor, but the heiress had a more business savvy mind. "One, you don't tell Blake where you got this information. I don't want a text message fuming with privacy breaches that my company is known for. Two, I want a pass to use the room at any time with Ruby. I shouldn't matter what you're doing. You and Blake leave for twenty-four hours if need-be so Ruby and I can have some alone time. Agreed?"

"I suppose there is no haggling out of this one, is there?"

"Want me to go bring in a negotiator? I'll call in your sister in from the garden and she'll guilt you into more passes," Weiss threatened.

"No," Yang deadpanned. "When do you think you can have her address?"

"Within the hour. Even if Blake is good about covering her tracks I assure my team of people can reveal them. Because I feel clandestine about my request, I'll also have a bouquet of roses ordered for you to take to her. Ruby buried hers in my face earlier and I think Blake will enjoy the scent... That came out wrong, didn't it?"

Yang pinched the bridge of her nose. "You really need to learn what an appropriate joke is. Hopefully, next semester there's a class on it."

Weiss and Yang said their goodbyes, the blonde not having to wait long for a reply as she got a text minutes later. She didn't waste more time in the house and hopped on Bumblebee. She had to both thank Weiss but also grumble under her breath as she had to keep her motorcycle in first gear to keep the pedals intact. The arrangement impressed her, though, small stones reflecting like diamonds settled at the bottom and the powerful scent of roses with baby's breath relaxed her when flying between traffic. Yang almost got into an accident as she bent down and took a small whiff.

She didn't check on the maps where Blake was located, simply plugging in the address and heading where her scroll was telling her. As she kept driving, she was heading into the shady part of town. Yang wasn't afraid of lower Vale scum and does come out here for the occasional night on the town, but this would not be the first choice in her place to take residence. As she was traveling further away from the illustrious, commercially-driven downtown, the many lucrative shops were being replaced by liquor and bail bonds stores.

Going as slow as she was on Bumblebee, she was able to pay attention to the cracked streets and tagging running up the bare concrete of the buildings. Not an appreciator of the street art only made the buildings more derelict as makeshift canvases than stores or freeway underpasses they were supposed to be. No storefront was left without a large iron gate and black bars bolted onto the outside, a looming atmosphere of danger lingered as she watched the eyes of the many passerby not taking stock of her assets for once. Bumblebee was loud, expensive, and flashy, the blonde wishing she had a less popping color for the finish as she felt she had to hug her motorcycle tighter.

Passing by the dilapidated stores only brought Yang to the broken homes. Wanting the GPS to be malfunctioning and taking her on a magical adventure, she took a small stop, only to have her doubts realized as it kept directing her down a street where a homeless camp had set up shop under a bridge. The blonde rode until the address popped up to her right. She found a spot in the front of the house, Yang taking a look at the small, white house. There were large windows and a door on the outside, windows barred and a black screen door on the outside. Even before that was a short, iron fence that surrounded the yard that was spotted with dying yellow patches. Yang didn't think it was any bigger than a couple of dorm rooms if they were mashed together, Beacon becoming more of an empire in comparison to this small shack. A black figure came into view as it jumped on the roof, the Faunus with a hammer in her mouth and a few rubber roof slates in her arms.

Yang cleared her throat, putting on big smile and she called out, "Hiya Blake."

The Faunus' attention broke from her task to see the blonde woman in her driveway, a few of the shingles falling from her grip as she was grasping the idea of Yang being there and not some cruel hallucination. Blake hopped off the single story, brows crossed, the brawler knowing she was in trouble already tried to play it off. "I rose to the occasion," Yang holding her big grin as she presented the arrangement to her girlfriend, "and thought you could use a helping hand with your project."

Blake crossed her arms, Yang sweating bullets as she knew her attempt at sweetening the pot was failing. The Faunus let out a deep sigh. "Come in," she owly said, taking the bouquet and marching back to the front door. She thought it looked small on the outside, but Yang was surprised to she how deceptively smaller it was. Just from entering, she was already in the living room with a kitchen to her right and a small hallway where she could only guess was a bathroom and where Blake sleeps. The walls were mostly bare, white paint that mirrored the outside, a card table in the corner with a small hanging lamp above it. The usual kitchen appliances were present, but looked as if they hadn't been used in over a year with the amount of dust rimming the surface. A small tv and an old loveseat were in the living room, a few books either Blake had duplicates of or just didn't care about were stacked and strewn about. As the blonde was digesting the scenery, she understood why someone wouldn't want to be seen in such a predicament.

"Good thing you brought a vase. I think I would have had to use a fishbowl to keep them alive." Blake placed the flowers on the coffee table. "I knew I was wasting effort in telling you to stay away."

"You know I'm bad at listening. Before I go any further, I'm sorry. I don't like going around your back, but blame daytime programming for forcing me to come see you." Yang still attempted to dismantle the tension. The Faunus wasn't going to have any of it, though.

"I'm seriously contemplating on whether or not on sending you home, but you're here. So get ready for some long due maintenance." Blake went to a drawer and tossed a pair of thick gloves at her, Yang replacing her fingerless ones as she followed the Faunus to the backyard. The ground was mostly dirt, a devious long weed strangling the life out of the rest of the vegetation wherever one popped up. The blonde was on Blake's rear as she hopped on the roof, not before catching the grimly sprayed vandalism on the back.

The Faunus handed over the shingles, having Yang work on applying the cement as Blake ripped out and replaced the broken ones. Other than the simple set of instructions, the Faunus was giving her the silent treatment. Yang actually wished that she would give her an earful, at least showing some emotion other than knowing she disappointed Blake. Through the monotonous toiling, the Faunus broke the silence.

"I am mad, but not angry. I want to say that off the bat," she started off. "But I want you to not lie to me when I ask this. Do you now see the reason why I was highly defensive in hiding the information from you and maybe why I wouldn't want you come over?"

Yang kept to her work, her tone conveying her honesty and guilt. "Yeah."

"Some call it the slums, or the bad part of town, but this is where I called home for a bit during the tail end of my stay in The White Fang and the in-between joining Beacon. Half the reason I was able to even afford this is because the lucrative black market wanted weapons and machines to sell to private investors. I'm not proud of my last actions when I was going rouge, those probably turned over and used to hurt innocent citizens, but sneaking away with a few parcels of munition got me here. As much as I would've liked living in an upscale apartment, buying this house was what I could afford. It was here I did a lot of reflecting. If anything, getting away from that manipulative hive-mind, hearing my own thoughts for once, helped me come to the conclusion to leave. That what I had been fighting for would destroy, not change, the communities within the kingdoms. It's not an ideal place, but anything is better than forging life outside the walls."

"Are we fixing it up for sentimental reasons or...?" Yang curiously inquired.

"No. Not even in the slightest. The neighbors watched the place while I was at Beacon. They are thinking about selling their homes and they asked if I could fix the house to increase their property value. I know it doesn't look like they deserve the courtesy with the look of the place, but it could've been condemned if all of the thieves hadn't been stopped. I'm not going to blame them for complaining as anyone who has lived here would be jumping at the chance to escape if they saw an opportunity," Blake explained, Yang's heart paining as she was reminded of the unchangeable circumstances others, mostly Faunus, have. She looked past that race barrier, but if she were to ride the memory from her to Blake's house, she couldn't deny a certain change in demographics.

"I never meant to embarrass you. I wasn't even thinking about this possibility as to why you were withholding that information, When you have your head up in the clouds so much, you forget at times how the world is modeled," Yang regretting her optimistic nature as it kept over-sighting sensitivity to situations.

Blake grasped her forearm, the blonde pausing her duty to catch a spark of her girlfriend's smile that she didn't think she would see. "Your vision may be clouded, but your intentions are clear. It's bracing to hear the idealistic future that you have in store for us. I'm bombarded with hostility and distrust because of my race. You remove a lot of that stress when you have me preoccupied with you."

Yang's reflex to flirt was unhinged, a glint in her eye the big giveaway, the Faunus shoving a rubber slate in her face. "Hey," Yang defeatedly pleaded out.

"You're not getting off the hook that easy. You have a lot to make up for and you did say you did want to help with the project. Giving a fresh coat of paint in the back and reseeding the lawn with two people could have us done before the sun sets," Blake rectifying her steps to make amends. Yang didn't mind getting her hands dirty, doing most of the regular maintenance on Bumblebee had her hands spotted with oil and the grime under the coating. A bit of paint and fertilizer was easier to clean off, but the smell was as potent. The blonde had an inkling towards the sun and hot weather in general, her fiery aura giving the much needed protection from the heat. However, it did not protect her from perspiring as the peak in the day's high punished her body. Blake emptied her fridge to keep the two hydrated, eventually filling up the bottles with tap water as they continued.

When grazing the lawn with the last portion of seed, Yang tossed the rest of the fertilizer in the middle, relieved to be finished. She stumbled into the house, collapsing in the couch, much to her dismay as a spring dung into her butt. In cooling down, a t-shirt was thrown on her face, the blonde soaking it as she dried off her face.

"Thanks for the help," Blake said, taking gulps of water. The Faunus offered her bottle, Yang finishing off the cool liquid.

"Not a problem. I think I might drink my weight in water. Come on, let's hit the shower," Yang proposed, the idea getting her off the couch only to meet resistance as she tugged at Blake's arms.

"Not together. You are still in trouble with me." Blake tood her ground. Yang didn't want to pull the usual fast one, respecting her girlfriend's position and being forthright.

"I feel too gross to be sexy at the moment. I think you can agree that a hard scrub down in in order," the blonde seeing in Blake's seething stare that she might have to try being a little persuasive. "I can wash your back," she sang, eliciting a small smile from the Faunus.

"Fine, but hands at your sides at all times," Blake spinning around and policing the blonde to the bathroom. Yang didn't try and sneak a peek, not that the Faunus was going to let her as she made sure to keep her eyesight out of the mirror. Even in the shower, Blake was adamant on staying behind Yang as they were washing each other. When it was Yang's turn to return the favor, Blake covered her breasts with her arm. For the one day of having sex again to come sooner, she behaved.

Yang was given one of Blake's other nighttime robes, the loose-fitting cloth much cooler than her tight wears. The only problem was that Blake was a few inches shorter than herself, making it difficult to not flash her panties with a quick spin, the delivery boy gawking. Yang took advantage of the situation, placing a single Lien credit in his shirt and closing the door on him to see if he noticed if he'd been robbed. The blonde deviously smiled as she brought the noodles and chicken broth to Blake on the couch.

"You're lucky I have no qualms with taking advantage of dumb men who objectify women. I just wish it wasn't you," Blake pointed out.

"The way I see it, if people are dumb enough to get distracted by a hint of cleavage, then why not use it. Besides you know you can only sample the goods." Yang popped the plastic top and dug into her food. The two sat, propping their feet on the coffee table as they watched television, Yang thankful for someone to indulge in the bad programming with her. The blonde sat ridged on her side of the couch, being a guest in the house where she was still in the dog house had her tense. As she was slurping her soup, she felt Blake slump her weight onto her shoulder, Yang relaxing as her girlfriend warmed back up to her, the ears flittering under the bow. The blonde slouched into the corner, Blake following suit and using Yang as her cushion.

The moment of peace was interrupted, a loud, recognizable gunshot blast ringing from behind the house.

*-Blake-*

Blake had to steady her styrofoam cup from dripping its contents as Yang bolted off the couch, the Faunus curious as to why. "What was that for?"

"Didn't you hear that?" Yang quickly shouted, Blake still confused as to what her girlfriend was talking about.

"Hear what?"

"That gunshot. Someone is in trouble. Come on. We got to go stop them," Yang creating urgency that was not there, Blake finding the need to educate her girlfriend on the matter.

"Even if there were someone in trouble, you are not going out to fight in a robe without a bra on. That came from the convenient store. The owner is trigger happy and for a good reason. He is constantly harassed and protects his store because vandals target it on a regular basis for dust, snacks, and Lien. Let's say that he was successfully robbed, what were we supposed to do? Whoever could successfully pull that off would have been long gone. Calling the cops, which response times are extremely slow in this part of town, make that almost useless, and helping repair the damage to the store is the only option. I'll figure out if he needs help tomorrow when I get some groceries," Blake explained, noticing Yang's face become more dumbfounded as she spoke.

"This... this is a normal occurrence. Just hear small burst of violence and let it go?"

"You get used to it. I'll admit that the first time it happened when I returned it scared me, but hearing sirens, gunshots, tires screeching, it's part of the landscape. It becomes background noise like student's conversations are when we're at Beacon," Blake finished, hoping this would quell the worry in her partner.

Yang paced the room slowly, hand over her mouth, biting down on a knuckle as she contemplated what was said. What came out of her was not to the Faunus' expectations. "Mind if I stay with you tonight?"

The worried toned from her girlfriend had Blake in opposition as she jumped on the suggestion. "The reason behind your sudden request better not be because you think I need someone around. I want to remind you that I have been living here since even before I became the huntress I am today."

"But it is out of love. It's not like I think you couldn't deal with whatever comes around, but we've had a lot of random close calls in the past year with The White Fang. I myself am paranoid in my neighborhood and their presence there is minute. Here, I wouldn't be surprised if the next street over there's a house with nothing, but members living there. It would give me peace of mind if I can spend the night, know that I'm over-exaggerating and go home tomorrow," Yang pleaded out her case.

Blake found it hard to argue when Yang spoke so freely from her heart. The Faunus would be lying to herself if she hadn't done things spontaneous out of her love for her. She didn't want to be doted upon or worried to this extent, but she knows Yang's worry for her would have her back the next day if she couldn't sleep well. "Fine, you can stay, but you have to promise to leave tomorrow. This isn't going to be like Ruby and you end up staying a week."

"I do. This is one of the few times ever I want to be proven wrong," Yang exclaimed, Blake feeling less annoyed as her girlfriend wasn't about to smother her with safekeeping. The Faunus didn't like her heart getting so soft whenever her partner's motherly instinct to foster caring attention overshadowed her better judgment. The two returned to watching movies, Blake not remembering the last time she was happy or smiling in this house.

The good times were dwarfed by the bad, When her and Adam's relationship took the turn for the ugly, this room in particular the host of many loud shouting matches. If the walls could talk, they would paint the tapestry of a jovial, free-thinking Faunus whose life turned grim as everyone else corrupted tainted the noble goal of equality. Even with all of that history, the shack was a place where she could escape most of the world's antagonism, especially when she turned off the television and picked up the lastest book she acquired.

Blake woke up more refreshed that usual, a week without Yang's light snoring became the white noise she's grown accustomed to when falling asleep. The Faunus never grew tired when she turned in her lover's arms, the movement not knocking the blonde out of sleep. Blake wiped away the tiny line of drool at the corner, it luckily not hitting her pillow case to give it a white outline stain. She crawled out of bed, wanting to make breakfast, but was grossly out of anything to prepare. Unless Yang would be alright with six pieces of buttered toast and two-day old salad, then Blake would have to make a pit stop.

The Faunus hated hearing the toilet flush, knowing her partner was up, the shuffling of a half-awake Yang coming down the hallway. The massive head of hair was even more of a mess with her bedhead so unchecked, Blake only seeing it more disheveled after a passionate night. A sight she had never seen, but was enjoying it immensely, was seeing her girlfriend wear her spare robe. She hopes her partner was enjoying it the same way as Blake did whenever she would swap her black for the bright orange scarf, always taking a large inhale of her scent when no one was around. "Morning, Sunshine."

"Morning..." she mumbled out.

"Want to grab something outside?" Blake asked, Yang yawning and nodding her head, knowing it was her queue to get her ready to leave the house. After the long, daunting task of getting ready, both hopped on Bumblebee and headed to a fast-food restaurant, Yang ordering a hefty amount of carbs and sugar while Blake chose to have coffee and an egg-and-cheese sandwich.

"I actually kind of miss breakfast as Beacon. I don't have to drive down to the cafeteria to grab something that's more appetizing that this," Yang commented, Blake taking a few sips of her brew before responding.

"They don't have coffee right, though. All that tuition money and they don't have a good supplier for beans," Blake added, stirring the contents of her cup as she watched Yang dig into her meal. "So, what time were you leaving?"

"So quick to kick me out, I see. Look, I'll leave but I'm doing it under-protest," Yang asserted, the Faunus not completely happy with her response.

"What's that's supposed to mean?" Blake asked hostilely.

"Yeah, I slept fine, but it took me forever to fall asleep. I know what I said, but I'm not taking back what I promised. I'll go later today, but that doesn't mean I don't have the same thoughts as I did yesterday," the blonde maintained, the impartial idea fuming Blake.

"You better. I'm going to say this as nicely as possible, but it really is grinding against my nerves the way you're taking in the situation," she growled out.

"I probably guessed as such. It's why I reasoned before going to bed that I would leave regardless. Me being here isn't going to change anything. I'm going to stress you and myself out. I'm sorry, it's just all a bit of a culture shock," Yang seemingly disappointed in herself for not being able to jump this hurdle. The twang of pain in her mood was enough for the Faunus to shift her temper.

"I appreciate how truthful you're being with me. We're not going to see eye to eye on everything. It's no different than on how to handle prejudiced jerks. We were at least able to work that one out, but this is one we may have to agree to disagree on," Blake taking the high road along with her girlfriend.

"It seems that way. I'm glad you're not telling me off, even though this is one of the few times I may deserve it."

"They say to pick your battles. This one isn't worth fighting for us only to ending up going to bed mad at each other. I'm also not stubborn enough to see the world from your view, even though I find it off-putting," Blake specified, not liking the result of her restrained disgust as the doe-eyed woman return to her food as if she had vituperated her. Her heart yearned to close the distance between them offered a solution. "I still have some projects to do inside. If you weren't keen on driving home this soon, I'd love the help."

Yang's attitude delightfully turned warmer at Blake's request. "Yeah. What did you have in mind?"

After the couple finished their meals, they headed down to the local hardware store, Blake mentioning that she had been wanting to install a ceiling fan in the living room since Vale summers were often times brutal. With Yang always towing her around whenever she needed to go down to the grocery store, it was nice to see how willing a participant she was when she asked suddenly, the chivalry pouring out as she carried the box out of the store.

As they came upon Bumblebee, Blake saw three male Faunus congregated around the vehicle. She knew too well that they weren't there to appreciate the fine paint job, Yang sounding off before Blake could. "Hey. What do you think you're doing?"

One of the males, dressed down in a white tank top and jeans, a pair of antlers jutting from the top of his head, startled from the abrupt, rough voice. "Nothing much." His voice came down as he registered the beautiful ladies less a threat as the Faunus could see his eyes giving the once-over. "We saw your ride and couldn't help, but come over and take a closer look. I'm glad I did. I didn't know that a hot chick like you would be the owner."

"You are absolutely barking up the wrong tree," Blake squashing the man's efforts to flirt with her girlfriend almost by instinct. The Faunus analyzed the other two. It seemed they were like her as well, but chose to highlight they were Faunus with the cap modified for one's long, pointy dog ears and the other's talons like Nevermore were predominantly on display. All three of them were wearing cheap, thin clothing to combat the heat, neither of them ready to combat Yang if they didn't back away from Bumblebee.

"We are all friends here, Black Beauty," the antler-Faunus continued, Blake vowed that if he said one more demeaning phrase that she would strike his throat and leave his buddies to carry him to the emergency room. "You don't see such fine piece of machinery too often. All we were doing was admiring it, we swear."

Blake knew he was bluffing. The areas the trio were looking at were clear that they were seeing if they could steal it, taking note one of them was looking for a spare key on the undercarriage. They would be thoroughly disappointed as Yang gave her the spare key before the school year ended. One of them also had their scroll out, either taking video or photographing the license plate so they could find it again. Everything about them was shifty and Blake stared daggers at them.

"Whatever. Unless you guys are here to help strap this box to the end of it, I suggest you leave," Blake threatened.

"Oh we'll help," the Faunus with the talons clearly under Yang's spell as his eyes had been fixated at her bumped up chest as she carried the fan.

"That was actually not an request," Blake coldly shot back, moving around and situated the container to the back. The three rubbernecked their way into the parking lot, the Faunus making sure she kept her watch on them. A breeze came up, one of the sleeves of the males revealing the three red streaks of The White Fang tattooed on his upper arm, confirming her suspicions that they were truly up to no good.

On the drive back, Blake kept a careful eye on anything leery that could be following them, her head bobbing back and forth as she rode behind Yang, the blonde picking up on the many movements. "What are you doing back there? You can't seem to sit still."

"Those three were part of The White Fang. If they were operating anything like I remember, Bumblebee is a target for theft, no doubt using its speed to commit low-rent robberies for a quick dust acquisition," she told, Blake feeling vibrations as Yang groaned in her arms.

"You ever get that feeling that you're being followed, ignore it, and wish that all of those shadows in the corner of your eye was in your head. I was thinking that, then you mentioned it, and now I can't unsee a car that's been following us for the last mile," the blonde cluing in the Faunus as to what she was fearing. "Don't look around. Play it natural. If we want to catch them, we have to lure them into a place we're familiar with."

"My house has my weapon. That's an advantage."

"Continuing the course home then."

Blake felt remorseful as her girlfriend's fears were coming to fruition. Even though she was not fond of the giant vibrator with wheels, she knew Yang cared deeply for Bumblebee, not wanting to have even a ding to the frame. The Faunus gave the blonde her out. "You can leave once you drop me off. Keep Bumblebee in the garage for the next few days."

"You should know better that I don't run from a challenge, especially if it's The White Fang. I'll leave when we're done installing the fan. The time it takes might be enough for them to attempt it again," Yang revving the motorcycle as the light turned green.

The two got off and brought in the box as if they were carrying on with their day. As they were inside, they staked the driveway, Yang moving the couch to the window and propping the drapes apart so Bumblebee was in clear view. Blake would occasionally get up and check the perimeter, nothing questionable to report on as the neighborhood stood quiet. The lack of anything happening was the worst part of stakeouts, the Faunus falling asleep and being negligent of the mission when she was in her stint with The White Fang. Yang didn't fair any better, Blake's secondary job in training was to keep her concentration steady. The Faunus made an exception this time, hoping to chase out the blonde before something did happen.

They gave up after a couple hours of nothing occurring, Yang figuring in that time they could've installed the fan three times. The blonde compulsively made sure Bumblebee's alarm was armed three times, making sure she would sing if someone touched her. No fancy wiring was wanted, Blake saying that more effort was never needed as at any minute someone would bulldoze and renovate the house if there was a mass buy-up of the block.

Yang was stood on the couch, holding the base in place as the Faunus was finishing screwing in the structure. "And shake it a bit."

Yang did as requested, the fan staying in place as she gently let gravity take over. "Yes," she hissed out.

Blake felt the pride of a job well done, the living room starting to become what it's named after as she flipped on the light and blades. The little humming of the fan lost precedence as Bumblebee's siren cried out. Yang's eyes shrank at hearing her precious vehicle go off, Blake seeing the worst and chasing after the blonde.

"Hey!" Yang vehemently screamed out. Blake not surprised to see the trio back, doing exactly what she was expecting. She could say the same for the blonde, purple irises turning blood red as she stomped towards the three Faunus.

"Get her. We get her, we get the keys and make this quicker," the antler-leader addressed to his men. All three of them went on the defensive, Yang already rushing them.

"You're going to end up as chalk mark outlines on the concrete!" Yang provoked, starting off with a generous punch to the gut of the leader. The blonde wasn't holding back her punches, each guy attempting to find an opening in Yang's techniques, the brawler out matching them in sheer strength as she was corralling them into the yard, putting distance between them and her motorcycle. The talon- armed Faunus tried to restrain her from behind, hooking into her hips, Yang kicking his shins in and flipping him over her back, the blonde taking the advantage they squandered as she had them in a lineup, a setup they would become familiar with soon. The dog-eared Faunus got desperate, pulling out a blade and attacked Yang head on, Blake snickering as she saw Yang effortlessly put him in a head lock, disarm him, and pummel him into submission. Blake was all for letting this play out until she saw Yang flex her semblance, the Faunus now scared she would fulfill her warning.

"_I'm going to hate doing this._" Blake bolted into her room, pulling out her case, and revealing Gambol Shroud. She transformed her weapon as she rushed back to the front door, able to catch Yang almost throw one of them onto the iron spikes of her gate. One close call was enough, the Faunus aiming her gun into the air and firing off two rounds.

The loud discharges had the rest of them freeze in their spots, all eyes directed to the one who held the most power. "You three, leave now. You don't come back here or this will end poorly for you."

The trio gave each other looks, a wordless exchange had fast as they were hobbling and scurrying off Blake's property. As they disappeared from her sight, she heard the harsh streaks of rubber to asphalt, signifying their exodus. The Faunus stepped back inside, holding the bridge of her nose at how everything her girlfriend feared came true with twenty-four hours, Blake hating the irony.

"You better have a good explanation of why you didn't let me treat those guys to the beating of a lifetime," Yang criticized, the Faunus boiling at the rim and wasn't going to contain it with emotions riding high.

"You know what tends to bring property value down? A crime scene, especially homicide. You were one solid attack away from killing one of them and that means all the work we put into today would be for not. Trust me, I won't make it a habit in the future to let White Fang members get away, this time letting them escape was the lesser of two evils," Blake hotly commented.

"Is that is how you've been justifying living here? Because it was some lesser than two evils?" Yang fired back.

"It was either this or the streets," she snarled. "And don't be criticizing my home."

"This is not a home! This is some place that is under your name. A home is a place where you can feel safe, an emotional haven and a place to feel at peace. Vigilantly waiting for people to rob you is the antithesis of what having a home is," the blonde roared, Blake matching her tone, even cranking it higher to stand above Yang.

"You're acting as if I can just pick up my things and leave! The last time I did that I ended up here. You obviously have such a great handle on your life. Tell me what you would do if you were in my position. Swing that judgmental pendulum back the other way and tell me how you'd solve all your problems!"

"I'd move in with me!" Yang shouted back, the blonde's expression softening as her anger dissipated, the women beseeching the Faunus to listen. "That's what I would do. That's what we should do. You say that people jump at the opportunity to leave, this is that opportunity. Put up your house along with the rest of theirs, take the first offer, and pocket the change to come live with me."

The Faunus' eyes were shaking, the ghastly silence that emanated quivering her as Blake was bewildered at the sudden proposal. She still felt the need to resist the benevolent gesture as logic was coming into play. "Wait, wait... it's not your house for you to invite people into."

"Oh please. Ruby absolutely loves you and I know if you pitched in on a quarter of the house payment, Dad will welcome you with open arms as family. I know it isn't the most romantic notion with two other people living there, but if all you're looking for is an address for the school to bill you then I don't see a problem," Yang reasoned, Blake finding it hard to further poke holes in her idea. The Faunus, feeling lightheaded from the yelling and revelation, took a seat, the blonde coming with her.

"I almost hate to say it, but... it kind of makes sense. The house is as ready as it'll ever be for market. Without another house to buy, I will actually have more than enough to pay for Beacon, maybe a little extra to spend on us. I don't know... it all seems too heavy to be making such a rash decision," Blake talked out loud, openly pondering the important decision as she saw the pieces all fit perfectly. Yang grasped her hand, bringing her out of her trance.

"I'll say this. The dorm had become a temporary home, or in some cases more than a home than my real one. You want to know why?" Yang asked, Blake shaking her head. "It's because when I come back, I know behind that door there is someone who is happy to see me. Whether it be Ruby or Weiss, it was nice to know there would be love. Of course, I always hoped I would see you under the canopy with a book in your face."

Blake understood what the blonde was talking about, but she never thought about it until now, taking the comforts of what a home was for granted. It had been so long since she had that familiar feeling, that she forgot how it felt, and when it returned, she couldn't recognize it. "It is nice to see you flopped across the bed when I come in from working out."

Yang softly chuckled, "If circumstances were different, there's not a doubt in my mind that we wouldn't be apartment hunting or perhaps something more permanent." The Faunus was touched by what Yang said, Blake's heart been struck as she thought about the idea of her and Yang taking that next step in their relationship. As she mulled over the thought, she grew fond of the idea of the two of them owning a place together, to feel that safety that is only present when she's around. "Well, I'll go now. Think about it."

The blonde lay a kiss between the bow, Blake watching the skirt flutter as her girlfriend closed the door behind her. The Faunus new she was speeding through the decision, but she's made hastier ones in the past. She hurried to the driveway, catching Yang as she was buckling her helmet. "I'll look into it tomorrow. Thanks for the invitation and all the impromptu help you put into the house."

"I'm glad to have turned you onto the idea. If you need anymore help, don't be afraid to call."

"I won't." Blake pecked Yang. "Have a safe trip." The blonde rode off into the distance, the Faunus watching the red lights disappear as she turned a corner. Blake went back inside, taking inventory of what was left to be done. "_Luckily, with her help, there isn't much left to do. It wasn't the most traditional way of asking someone to cohabitate with, but this relationship isn't traditional by societal standards. Thank you, Yang... for being rescuing me from my past."_


	25. Team RWBY: A Moment of Repose

Hello everybody, just a very quick update. First off, you know how I said I'd never use all four girls' perspective again. I lied. You all liked it so that's not so much of a grievance compared to how short the chapter is. And for that, I'm sorry. It's very much a wrap-up/setup chapter for a lot of what's to come. So let's barrel through and unfortunately wait for the next chapter. Also, the new Bumblebee pic is almost done so check Bakki on dArt out between updates. I really can't thank you enough for all the fav/follows and reviews and support. Let's keep seeing it during this brief hump in the story.

Team RWBY: A Moment of Repose

"_Are you enjoying you're time with Yang, at least?_" Weiss text to Ruby, the heiress always impressed with the response time.

"_Yeah. It's weird that it's just us two most of the time like it used to be, but we're having a lot of fun again. Don't get jealous, though. I miss you and Blake not within my vicinity. Especially when it was us two alone,_" the message read, Weiss rolling her eyes as she knew what Ruby was insinuating. During her elongated stay at the Schnee Estate, there was a lot of time devoted to the bedroom. The leader didn't have to be a shrewd negotiator to get Weiss to a more secluded part of the home, the heiress equally as responsible for pulling Ruby by the cloak and onto the bedspread. The Ice Queen was still awkward with the idea of nakedness, both of them taking the process slow as they were learning about each other's bodies more intimately, Weiss amazed how fast her girlfriend was at figuring out what makes her toes curl. She was no slacker as she was proudly making Ruby call out her name as she reached climax, Weiss finding the illustrious sight of the leader riding her orgasm stunning in its own right.

Still, she couldn't let Ruby get too cocky with her flirtatious nature, lest she turn into Yang one day, who effortlessly woos Blake into a frenzy with a few choice words and a soft touch. "_Oh, I get it. So the spa, the shopping around town, and my armory is far down the list of fun,_" Weiss teased, knowing Ruby would think she took offense to her statement.

"_No. I mean, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. It's just you know... sex is fun and... I'm in trouble, aren't I?_" the leader spelling out her thoughts, Weiss smiling at the intensity of her text. She wasn't going to leave her hanging, the heiress typing something for the leader to hinge upon till they see each other again.

"_You are in trouble. As punishment, I think a date is in order. How's the first weekend of school sound?_" Weiss typed in, feeling clever as she was setting up a date.

"_Ugh... fine,_" the rest of the message littered with smiley faced emoticons. Weiss was slightly bothered by the amount of immaturity in a lot of Ruby's actions, but a part of her embraced it wholly, particularly here back home. She was never allowed to be as spontaneously happy as her partner is. Every time she could possibly embarrass her parents and have the other socialites think that the Schnees had brought up an ill-behaved daughter was almost snuffed out immediately. As Weiss contemplated the past, she was finding some comfort in her upbringing, the real problem being that they never treated her like a person. She was trained as efficiently as the dogs, even certain noises that would issue an automatic response of fear to this day. Weiss wanted nothing more than to hate them, but she's a scholar student and a brilliant huntress. If a disdain for her parents and a lost childhood was the cons to her rearing, then she could imagine worse scenarios.

Weiss took a walk outside to the garden, taking a book on the advanced properties of dust and get an enjoyable jump start to the new year. She sat on a wooden bench, the garden had become one of her favorite spots for obvious reasons, but the yard itself was the last bastion of happiness she did have. As a child, it was the only place where she could get away from the household's rules for the moment and she would run around and play until the accident happened. While she was romping around, chasing a butterfly, she tripped and scraped her knee. Her father gave her a stern talking to, his shining parental skills present as ever as this was after-the-fact one of the Faunus servants was the one who bandaged her up.

The heiress took a look at the mansion, it looking less like a jail in the year's time she joined Beacon, but the gates were literally as high as a prisons. "_How I wish things stayed as simple as when I was younger, where the least of my problems was stumbling over my own feet. I didn't know, nor could probably comprehend what my parents were doing to groom me into one of their socialite clones. Now I have my parents still trying to rule me with an iron fist, a company that I am still not ready to operate, and an organization that wants to both steal all of our product and start a revolution. It actually amazes me how all four of us have been holding up with the encounters with The White Fang. At least during the break, they've been quiet. I don't think I could handle them along with everything else that's happened._"

Weiss flipped open her book, crossed her legs, and enjoyed some tea in the shade as she stocked mental notes in her head. She didn't like to admit it, but studying without Ruby was far more productive. As she was absorbed by the intricacies of dust manipulation, she felt a new weight on the otherside of the seat, Weiss taken aback she she noticed her father, the man not even looking at her as he stared into the garden's distance. The heiress was still upset with the display of disrespect he showed in front of her friends, screening him as she raised the book closer to her nose.

"You're really not going to say 'hello' to your own father?" he coldly spoke, Weiss knew she was being baited and decided to give him a non-answer.

"What good is the help if they don't listen to me?" Weiss disappointed in the Faunus workers for going behind her back and let her father find her.

"They are on my payroll, not yours. Don't feel like you have an alliance with them just because they have been around you since you were born," he quietly spoke, the heiress reminded how much power he wielded over everyone.

"Don't you have a multi-billion Lien company to run? It's the middle of the week," Weiss shot back.

"I actually needed a personal day. Seems the three weeks of vacation I took got me a bit under the weather. I told your mother we shouldn't have traveled to someplace exotic after we left the beach, but she is as headstrong as you," he said, Weiss' ability to tune distractions out wasn't working as the stiffness in the air was unhinging her. She chose to ignore his response, the words not being absorbed as her eyes scanned the pages, although her wishes for quiet weren't shared by her father. "I''m not mad at you."

Weiss' ears picked up on that, keeping her face in the book as a facade as she was actively listening to what he had to say. "Alright, that was partially a lie. I am angry and I was furious at the beach house, but I've cooled down for the sake of you not turning your back on this family completely."

"Don't have some inane idea that I am going to leave the family. Even if I were to get married, you'd have no fear in having my last name changed or hyphenated. It's the morals of this family that I'm turning against," Weiss calmly explained.

"It's the standards and practices of this family that has kept us one of the most wealthy families in Remnant. Ever since we were able to mine dust, we've found a way to make profit. Hiring cheap labor is the shameful secret every major company keeps. How do you think your scroll stays at a reasonable price?" he pointed out, the heiress knowing he was right, but had to protest against it.

"That's just one of many ethics that is wrong. You robbed me of a carefree childhood and turned me into this calloused adult. When the glass case you put me in was shattered by the world, my friends were the ones who were able to turn me into a well-rounded adult," Weiss fired back, lowering the book to give a fierce scowl to him, the man still not looking at her and continued to stare off into the garden.

"Your friends are the reason I'm so disappointed in you," his tone picking up. "I thought sending you to one of the most reputable academies for huntsmen and huntresses would further groom you into a leader, to take some of the lessons being trained as a huntress teaches you and come back to the company to utilize them. Never did I think you would befriend such filth like a Faunus and end up in a lesbian relationship with the person who leads you."

Weiss did her best to control her anger, clenching the book's binding and keeping her voice to a dull roar the best she could do. "That filth you speak of taught me that I shouldn't be judgmental as everyone has a different back story and plausible reasons for their actions. And that lesbian is my girlfriend. Don't be disregarding her with some generic label about her orientation. Ruby is kind, intelligent, has a wonderful sense of humor, honest, and supportive in all of the team's endeavors. That's a lot more than I can say about you."

"Are you really going to talk back to the person who has been giving you a free ride for the past eighteen years? How can you say I'm not supportive? I've paid for everything you've wanted to do."

"You paid for the things that you thought would turn me into a star for the Schnee name to attach itself to. I remember wanting to be an archer, but that was shot down after you learned there is no celebrity in that. I bet you're still sore that the piano lessons you paid for kind of went to waste as soon as I switched my passion to being a huntress."

"I was, just as I am upset with my investment in you becoming a famous huntress doesn't seem like it's going to pay off," he scolded with a cold, condescending tone, stunning Weiss with the heavy amount of truth behind the vicious statement, the heiress hating he was still able to have this paralyzing effect to her. "What troubles me the most is that you were no different than me when you were younger, a rebel. I got into trouble, painted the town red, and was a thorn in your grandparents sides as well."

The heiress was getting more agitated, not sure if that was her father's intentions for talking to her in the first place. Not wanting him to have his way, she propped the book back up to her face, "If you are done with besmirching my friends and lifestyle, you can leave so I can get back to reading."

"Then I'll leave you with this. I eventually returned after I got all the rage and irresponsibility out of system. It was a phase in my life just as I hope that this is a phase in yours," the comment sinking into her like a dagger. Her father stood up from the bench. "I urge you to grow up and grow up fast. Whether you want to acknowledge it or not, your fate in the company is inevitable and I will not be remembered as the father who raised the child who brought the company to a new low."

His footsteps echoed on the cobblestone walkway, Weiss closing her book and casually tossing it to the side as she couldn't read with the anger stirring through her. She took a sip of her tea, massaging her forehead as she thought about the future. "_No wonder all those rich pretty boys stay in school for several years. When they graduate they probably have to come home to this. He's right, though. In three years, the company will have a new junior director whose ambitions far outreach the confined walls of the business._"

There was a vibration in her pocket, Weiss taking out her scroll and seeing another text from her girlfriend. "_I'm having trouble narrowing our date down. Would you be interested in live music?_"

The heiress smiled, admiring the effort Ruby puts into everything. "_Yes, but I don't want you to be bored. I know my taste of music isn't for everybody. Do what feels natural._"

Weiss sent the message, taking another sip of her tea as she awaited a response. "_I should practice what I preach, or maybe, be more like her. I have three years plus to figure out how to have my cake and eat it too. If she's still around, I know I can pull it off._"

Another gentle buzz came from the scroll.

*-Ruby-*

The leader set her device on her lap, sitting on the floor splayed out as the heat was cooking the small home. Ruby and Yang were still in their pajamas, the loose fitting clothing cooler than wearing their usual getup. Her sister took the couch, Ruby not minding as the sofa was hotter than the floor. Although, she was not liking that the fan's circulation was barely hitting her.

"Your texts to her are really cute, by the way," the blonde chimed in, Ruby instinctively gripping her scroll to her chest to conceal it.

"Yang, how could you look at my screen?" the leader hurt that her sister was spying on her private conversation.

"It's more interesting than what's on television. Besides, it's nothing compared what I've been sending Blake as incentive to finish cleaning the grout. Hopefully she finishes tomorrow so I can pick her up," Yang told, Ruby wondering what horrifically sexy pictures her sister could have been sending as she lay behind her.

"I can't believe Blake's moving in. It almost makes me feel like I should invite Weiss and have Team RWBY always under one roof, but I'm sure the mansion is reason enough to keep her from politely declining."

"Don't squash the idea until you give it a shot."

"I know, but it's probably too soon for us anyhow. I still have to find that happy medium of us time and the time she wants to be alone. It's harder to read than you think."

"I'm in about the same boat. Blake is a quiet, introverted bookworm and I somehow always seem to bother her due to initial obliviousness. I'm not going to push the idea on you, but you know I support it if Weiss decides to stay."

"Thanks," Ruby said, her face not matching the gratitude as she had presented, prodding Yang to inquire.

"What's wrong?"

The leader was hesitant on speaking her feelings as Blake has become such an important fixture in her sister's life that it almost felt wrong to speak ill of her. To Ruby, she was getting close to becoming family, the moving in only further solidifying that fact. But if she could be honest, she was having some anxieties about the new permanent roommate. "It's nothing really, but I kind of missed this. When it would be us two entertaining ourselves when Dad was out. I know we see each other at school, but it had someone else there, usually Blake or Weiss. Not that I'm not excited, but it's going to be me third wheeling a lot of the time when we come back here. Don't take this the wrong way, Blake's great and I love her, but I know how easily we've been distracted by our girlfriends since we started dating. Even now, we're still talking about them."

After a longer pause of silence that was making Ruby uncomfortable, Yang slid off the couch, sitting next to her. The leader leaned upwards as Yang talked to her. "I'd be lying if I hadn't shared the same attitude from time to time. Living in the dorm does give the illusion of time being spent together, but it's nothing like we used to do. It's not like us being bored on a hot weekday afternoon talking about what we would do if one of the Achieve Men asked us out." Yang playfully punched Ruby's arm as she teased about the leisurely wasted day they were having. "Blake coming will change this. I know myself at this point to know that's true, but we still got at least one day to have some last minute sisterly bonding time. Anything you might have in mind?"

Ruby's spirit rose, laughing at herself that her relationship with her sister could have been as bad as she was imagining. Now though, she was given an option that was too open-ended. The options flipped through her were all great, but the time constraint was not helping her in choosing. "_We could go to the park and have a good sip of nostalgia, but I honestly don't want to thought of more as a kid than I am now. With the Achieve Men on the mind I would love some karaoke, but it's too early for the bars to open. Yang could drive me somewhere, but we already went too... Omf._"

Ruby's thoughts were interrupted as her pillow was thrown in her face, wondering how Yang was standing in front of her with a pillow of her own. The blonde prefaced the pillow in her face. "I challenge you to a dual, Miss Rose. I hope using your first weapon won't be a handicap for you."

Yang's playful smirk plastered on her face, the glint in her eye whenever she and her were up to no good ever present. The leader didn't back down, picking up the white cushion and at stance opposite her sister. "Are we allowed to make a mess like we used to?"

"It wouldn't be one of our pillow fights if there wasn't some collateral damage." Yang's grin widened as she took a batter's stance, eyes narrowing as she was waiting for Ruby to strike first. The leader gladly took the challenge and went in full force with her attack. Ruby remembered fondly of the many sisterly brawls they would have, many a times they got unintentionally hurt, one or both of them being grounded. She would have to thank Yang later for digging up one of the more fun parts of being a kid, recklessly hitting each other with such force that it could hurt. Unfortunately, with auras protecting them, it was impossible for them to hurt each other with such soft stuffing, the goose down feathers littering the floor after a few rough minutes of battle.

The girls ditched the cases and continued wrestling on the ground, Yang, having a weight advantage, still able to pin Ruby down with ease as she use to. As Ruby was looking at a very confident Yang relishing her victory, she burst out laughing. The golden mane her sister is so proud of strewn with white plumage. The brawler whipped a large length of her hair to her front to inspect, eyes widening as her precious hairs were tainted by fowl's feathers. Yang didn't take the embarrassment too well, making sure Ruby couldn't stop laughing as she brought her thin fingers to the shorter girl's sides.

With her lungs starting to tighten from lack of air, Ruby pleaded as best she could to get her sister to heel. "Yang... stop... please."

"You know the magic words. Yang is..." the blonde not letting up as the girl's fingers were fighting to get them away from her sides.

"Yang... is... is awesome," Ruby happily succumbed to the admittance, taking in the much needed air as she was relinquished from her torment.

Yang went to the bathroom to meticulously pick out all of the feathers. She shouted from the sink, "Hey, pre-heat the oven, we haven't baked in since we got to Beacon. I think some old-fashioned chocolate chip cookies are needed." Ruby happily obliged, running over to the oven and getting the ingredients set up. As the cookies were heating, Yang could smell the bad odor coming from the leader countering the sweet smell of baked goods, Ruby admitting she may or may not have forgotten to wear deodorant due to Weiss not reminding her. Her sister sent Ruby to the shower, promising the cookies would be cooled and ready when she got out.

*-Yang-*

Armed with oven mitts, Yang pulled out the fresh trays of cookies from the oven, taking in that warm, chocolatey scent of a freshly baked cookie. "Beacon can have all the comforts of a home, but nothing could match that unique smell of home-cooking." She set the trays on the oven, feeling her skin stick to the fabric of her clothes had her following Ruby after she was done in the tub. She paid special care to her hair, combing out the white flakes, if there were any left, as she was in the mirror.

She changed into a fresh pair of pajamas, the evening still having to cool down the extremes of the day's heat. As she exited the room, she peeked into Ruby's, the leader in front of her stand up mirror as she was seeing how her old dresses would look on her. Yang couldn't resist surprising her sister, "Hey!"

Ruby jumped in placed from the startling holler. "Yang! That's not funny to sneak up on me like that."

"Fair enough. What's this that's going on here, though?"

"I'm seeing if I like any of the dresses for the dance next year. I don't care about wearing the same thing twice, but I know one person that will. What's not looking good though is that I think I grew because none of these look like they will look like they will fit me," Ruby complained, Yang smiling that although her sister acts so grown up on the battlefield that she's still growing into a stronger woman.

"You're still young. I didn't stop growing till last year. If you need me to take you shopping, I'll be more than happy to, but you might want to take Blake. She has a great sense in style," Yang pointed out, thinking back to the black number she wore she wore at the dance with the salacious split running up her thigh.

"Yeah, but maybe we can coordinate and surprise them," Ruby said, the blonde happy that the bonding time wasn't going to waste. At the thought of surprising their girlfriends, Yang thought of something her sister hadn't let her do since they were little kids.

"Put your dress away. You want to surprise Weiss, then come to my room," she ordered, Ruby tossing her dress onto the bed and following Yang. The blonde brought out her desk chair and situated it in front of her vanity table. She had to sift through the brushes, and scrunchies to find her makeup kit hidden on the bottom of the drawer. "Sit down, Kiddo. We're giving you a makeover."

"No, let's not spoil the good time we've been having and go down that road again." Ruby put her hands up, stepping away from the chair.

"It wasn't that bad."

"You turned me into a clown with how you plastered the lipstick on," the leader pointed out, Yang doing her best to suppress that image from laughing uncontrollably.

"I promise, it's not going to be anything like that. In the past five years, I've had a lot of practice. Besides, even you have to admit that learning some beauty skills wouldn't be the worst way to woo Weiss," she reasoned, the leader hesitantly sitting in the seat.

"Let's not go overboard. Light touches only. I don't want to have to be scrubbing it off for two days," Ruby begrudgingly said, the leader matching a scowl as fierce as Weiss as she stared at her reflection.

"Don't get saucy with me," Yang said as she was bringing out the eyeshadow brush, dipping it into a smokey gray circle. "Close your eyes," the leader doing as such as the blonde was running the tool over her lids. "Consider this a sisterly tip. Makeup can be used to both accentuate features like your lovely gray eyes, but also hide blemishes, like big, fat hickeys."

Ruby let out a small yelp, Yang valuing her ability to corner her sister when she was hiding something. "I-I thought my cloak would have hidden it well."

"Maybe for people who are your height, but I was able to peer down it and see two purplish marks on your neck," Yang sternly said. "I know you hate the girly factors of makeup, but promise me you'll be more practical about it in the future."

Ruby annoyingly grunted in frustration. "I'm sure this is some tutorial."

"It is. Memorize the brush strokes and use the concealer I bought for you. I put it in the bathroom. It should match your skin tone." Yang doing the finishing touches on her eye shadow and further accented her eyes with some eyeliner, Ruby blinking as she found the new layer unsettling. "Close your lips. I bought a special tube of lipstick that I think you're going to like."

As Yang was applying the deep red tone, she noticed a clear hint of sadness instead of irritation. "Smack your lips and then you better not tell me wearing makeup makes you sad."

"It's not that. It feels like an end of an era," Ruby's saddened tone bringing down her enjoyment of the situation. "I can't count how many times I've been in this situation, you teaching me something that I failed to pick up or that I desperately wanted to learn because my big sister was doing it. They tell you all the perks of being a grownup, but no one tells you that at some point you have to grow apart."

The leader's eyes started to tremble, Yang witnessing how hard she was taking the transition. The blonde bent down to eye level, her heart hurting as she resonated with the pain. "I forgot that when I was having hangups about you growing up that you probably would be feeling the same. It has been us for a long while, hasn't it?" Ruby lightly shook her head. "I had to talk a lot about this with Weiss, Blake and myself, but I came to terms with what was happening. You're not just growing up, though. We all are and this has to happen. We all can't stay in a dorm room forever. Once we graduate, I would hope you don't want me and Blake around as you and Weiss decide on a place to live. We're sisters. Nothing will ever change that and our bond will further weaken as it already has. I'll be there when you need me, for any reason, but I'm so proud of you, Ruby, of who you are and who you're going to become."

"Th-thanks Yang, but I probably wouldn't be who I am without a few good models like Mom, Qrow, Dad, and you," Ruby letting a happy tear start to pool, the blonde quick with a tissue to dab the drop before it smeared.

"Not a problem. One last tip, don't rub your eyes or cry with eyeliner. It'll smudge and run down your cheeks and I promise you'll look worse than the first time I used you as a test mannequin," the wisecracking nature softening her worries. Yang spun the leader in her chair to face the mirror. "Take a look."

Ruby's eyes popped as she first saw herself in the mirror, touching her face as if it was some illusion, Yang beaming with satisfaction as she reveled in her work. "I look... I look."

"You look hot. Take out your scroll. Selfies don't take themselves," Yang spoke, Ruby staring at her scroll for an inordinate amount of time before responding.

"Actually. Mind if I take a picture of us to send to Weiss?" the leader asked, the brawler's heart swelling with Ruby's sweet gesture. As Yang was about to answer, Ruby put up her finger, "But I get to do your makeup."

Her elated feeling deflated as the numerous amount of mistakes her sister could make could fill one of their textbooks. Yang was hoping Ruby was as fast a learner as she was with scythe-wielding, or it was going to be a hard photo to take otherwise. To her surprise, the leader did a better than adequate job, although Yang would have to teach her what colors compliment her fairer complexion. Yang stood behind her sister, her hand formed as bunny ears as she took the photo, the leader very reluctant to send such an embarrassing version of the photo. The blonde redid the picture, both in a proper pose as Ruby promised to frame this one.

*-Blake-*

The few belongings that she was able to bring along with her were so small that a few trips on Bumblebee had them already in her new home. Blake laughed at the idea of putting up the house on an internet auction site, but was impressed as someone bought it within a day. The thought crossed her mind as one of the few people with that amount of reserve Lien would either be the Schnees or The White Fang. She figured it would be the latter, but the good news is, if she was right, she would be familiar with the nest with its new recruits. She stared at the living room, the outlines of dust that were once the couch and coffee table were gone. All of the big appliances and furniture were quickly sold off to charity.

She walked down the hall to her bedroom, the last space that needed to be dealt with. No one would take her used mattress, and if she had to ask herself, neither would she. It was old, kind of lumpy, and did have many familiar smells on it. The last box to pack would be her sheets, the Faunus holding the puffy sheets in her arms, having to take a deep inhale to still smell the tiny traces of Yang's fragrance. It had been over two weeks since she had been over and asked Blake to move in with her, the Faunus purposefully not washing anything as she was alone in her house. The small hint of her girlfriend was enough as a glorious reminder that it would be like this every night.

The fun part now was dragging the mattress to the curb, the awkward flipping of the long object annoying as she was solo. Out of everything she had to sell or give away, the mattress did have some sentimental value, Blake remembering that it was here in this house on this mattress is where she lost her virginity to Adam. If there was a single aspect of this place that she held dear is that it was the last place she and him were laughing.

"_There were a lot of good nights on this bed. I doubt Yang would want me to keep this because I don't want to give away the last object of my ex. It's not like I was holding onto it, though, but this is the last good memories I have of him, and that's what's depressing about all of it._" Blake heaved the mattress to the sidewalk, taking one last look at it before the city's garbage picked it up. "_He was kind, charming, and had an ambitious soul. It's why I fell in love with him. That ambition was corrupted by The White Fang. What was a mission to have a peaceful transition into society quickly became a militarized opposition of gaining it by force. He was the first to jump on the new bandwagon, too impatient for change to happen naturally._"

Blake stepped back into the house, adding the few dishes she had in the cramped box coated with the soft sheets. Although, the best memories were had in the bedroom, a lot of the disintegrating parts of her relationship with Adam happened in this room. "_There would be a lot more dishware if I hadn't lost my temper. Good thing they weren't some crystal stems. It was those fights I hated the most. I don't like shouting, even with Yang it's no easier, but sometimes it's the only way to be heard. I didn't want to hate him, restraining myself till the point it burst that evening. I can't even remember what was said as I was seeing red, only remembering I had to clean up shattered pieces of glass in the morning. Adam was gone, but we had another mission to do. A combination of me tired of him and how The White Fang had warped his mind made my decision to leave that life behind even easier._"

Blake brought out her scroll, sending a quick text to Yang to pick her up. She sat in the middle of the empty house as she waited for her girlfriend, resting her head on her arms as she remembered tossing Adam's things in boxes on the front lawn. "_I should not have even given him the courtesy of boxes and a suitcase. Littering my lawn with clothes and bathroom products may have looked trashy, but knowing he had to pick each one individually was worth knowing... Still, maybe I should have at least said goodbye._"

The Faunus didn't like to dwell on the past. Most of the memories were bad and she found herself wanting to repeat them, just to see if she could change them, life turning her more pessimistic and leaving that naive thinking behind. However, as she was leaving this house, she couldn't help, but think back to what could have been. "_Maybe I should have handled it better. I'm not saying us being together, but if I had some kind of connection with him still, maybe I could have lured him back. He could be attending Beacon or Signal and be living a semi-normal life. I do feel awful as to how we came to hate each other in the end. It didn't have to be like this._"

The loud roaring of Bumblebee had become familiar to Blake over the break, a harsh beeping from the horn signaling that Yang was outside. She picked up the last box, taking a long glance at the house before she never stepped foot in it again. She wanted to cry, have an emotional attachment to a place that was an important part of her life, a piece that changed the course of her existence. She couldn't muster up a single tear as her apathy towards the past wouldn't allow a tender farewell.

Blake locked the door behind her, heading towards the street where Bumblebee was purring. The Faunus was impressed on how fast her spirits could pick up as she saw Yang beaming a smile, violet eyes so excited that this was the final trip. "Now, this is the last box, right?"

"Yeah. What's with the sudden urgency?"

"Because Ruby and Qrow are out buying parts for their weapons. I know Ruby and her at a hardware store might as well be... I was going to say a kid a candy store, but that's the same thing. My point being, they're going to be out of the house for a long while," Yang explained, the Faunus noticing the glint in her eyes as they hinted at what she wanted.

"I was actually sort of hoping the first thing we do after moving in together wouldn't be violating every room in the house, but it would be a waste to squander an opportunity. Especially after two weeks of nothing, but teasing with the lewd pictures you've been sending." Blake got caught up in the flirtatious nature and placed a finger over the blonde's cleavage, the many photos of her lover prominently displaying her more seductive features.

"That we're going to have to do at another time. Anticipating your arrival, I had to make a few adjustments to our room, the first and foremost being upgrading from a puny twin to a nice queen size bed," Blake realizing that the patterns Yang was asking her to comment on was a new spread. "I do believe a christening is in order for our new bed and sheets."

The Faunus was hooked, ready to dig her nails into the blonde's back as the passionate session was playing already in her mind. "We'll skip the breaking a bottle of champagne if you don't mind. Get on. Let's go home."

Yang tossed Blake a helmet, Before Blake could even secure herself onto the bike, the blonde was already speeding off into the distance, the white house growing smaller until Yang turned into the next street. "_I haven't said 'Let's go home.' in so long that I forgot what that comfortable feeling was. It's over, though, Yang giving me another avenue that I hadn't even conceived, but I can immediately tell was the right decision. There's even less of a reason to look back now, not with this bright future ahead of me._"


	26. Weiss: Snow Angel With Broken Wings

This will be short. I gotta be places. Thanks to everyone who reads and stuffs. The story passed 700 followers now. Never did I think I'd hit that milestone, but it's thanks to readers like you who pass it along. Also, Bakki threw up the new art and it is the best thing to do while baking. I love it. Anyways, read, follow/fav and review.

Weiss: Snow Angel With Broken Wings

The limo ride from the Schnee Estate had been nice and quiet, the drivers keeping to themselves and leaving the privacy window up. Weiss couldn't have been more delighted with the new year starting up, vacation losing a lot of its appeal as soon as her father would pop in and out of her day only to pester her with reminders of her state in the company. She shrugged it off, knowing the freedom of school would get her in a better mood.

The road back to Vale and Beacon was pleasant, but Weiss was buried in her scroll texting both Winter and Ruby, the heiress having to settle her girlfriend down as she would be in her presence within the hour. Trying to train the overzealous nature of Ruby, she focused more on her conversation with her sister, missing that she hadn't seen her in almost a year.

"_I'm sorry I couldn't get time away from the company to come see you on break. With Dad on vacation, I was left with a lot of his duties. Most of those being morally ambiguous gray areas that kept me from getting sleep some days._"

Weiss scowled, thinking back to the company's reputation only brought up ill feelings as she was driving back to the institution that would help rectify the behavior. She knew her sister was only trying to vent and apologize for her lack of presence, but she couldn't help and fume back. "_So I have another reason to be angry at Father._"

"_Yeah... I guess, but you need to be a lot more passive aggressive to him. The company had a glorious backlash as he came to work beyond furious the first couple days. I had to take the brunt of it because I'm family as any other employee would have considered it workplace harassment._"

The heiress felt sympathetic, knowing too well how her father's anger was a force to be feared. "_Perhaps you're right. I was acting on impulse. I hope it wasn't too bad._"

"_It wasn't as bad when we were kids if that's what you're inferring. But don't let him get to you. You're doing a lot of good at Beacon and being a huntress. I couldn't be more proud of my sister._"

Weiss choked a bit on the last part. Having had fire constantly breathed down her neck by her parents, it was a relief to hear such praising words from family. Weiss regret sulking in her room so much that she couldn't make time to see her in person. "_Thanks Winter. I'll try less collateral damage to the city and making a mess over at the company with PR business._"

"_Do what you want. It's not my duty to handle the press. Just one more thing before I go. Don't forget to have fun. I can handle the company a little longer so you can figure out your place in it. I hear you have a girlfriend. I'm sure she would appreciate the attention._"

Weiss rolled her eyes, wondering if her sister was psychic as there was two unread texts from Ruby in her inbox. She could only guess that at least one of them is '_Where are you? We're going to miss the opening ceremonies._' The heiress took a deep breath, heeding her sister's advice and concentrated on the present. Right now is a fresh start on a new year, no White Fang operations that are an immediate threat, and time for her to get closer with Ruby.

The heiress quickly opened the messages, one being almost on the dot to what she presumed and the other was a picture of Jaune and Pyrrha in the fountain basin. She could only imagine that the blonde boy wonder was trying to be romantic and serenade the red-headed warrior before school started, a bouquet of roses and his guitar aimlessly placed on the ground being his MO. Weiss always had to give props to Pyrrha as she seemed to enjoy Jaune's dopey charm as she was happily splashing water on him. Weiss was upset that she wasn't able to enjoy the revelry of friendship, but she wasn't to be rushed out of the house looking so unprofessional.

With a quick trip to the airship, the heiress was now on campus, the familiarity and security of the Beacon castle had her at peace. She ordered the help to figure out her new dorm situation as she took a small detour. The picture at the fountain had Weiss getting sentimental for the place she first met Ruby, Weiss delighted that there weren't too many students around for them to wonder why she was staring at a dark spot on the concrete so warmly.

Weiss rubbed the spot tenderly with her fingers, placing her face in her hand as she laughed at how mushy her heart had become for the hooded girl. "_One year ago, she accidentally bumped into me and knocked over my special vials of dust. Since that explosive introduction, she has absolutely pulled a one-eighty. Yes, Ruby's a dolt, clumsy yet capable, and charming in her own socially weird way, but she's mine and I wouldn't change her. Well, maybe I'd change her morning milk breath. It's getting tiresome to wake up next to her with that seeping into my nostrils. That and she needs to learn how to walk in heels. It's always a fight with her whenever I take her out to a formal dinner and I mention the hint of dresses and heels. And maybe she could work on her diet. I know we're young and fit, but I'm afraid one day she'll come back with the beginning stages of diabetes. Ruby thinks she hates my nagging now, wait till I have to patrol her eating habits._"

The heiress never caught herself systematically nitpicking the smaller points of her girlfriend, nor was she admitting that any one of those reasons are grounds for her perpetually growing love for Ruby. The help found the heiress and gave her the new details of her rooming situation, Weiss sending them off with a pleasant goodbye and shuffling her luggage on the carrier the school supplied. She wished she packed lighter, but unfortunately all the dust she utilizes had to come with her at some point. The dorms for the second years were different from their freshmen, which was refreshing, but also inconvenient as they were another floor higher. Trucking the load by herself was doable, but unwarranted.

Tired of getting the luggage up, she was happy to be pushing on level ground to her new room. She peered around and it seemed Team JNPR were hall mates again, the heiress giving a gentle wave and a warm smile to Ren who was taking in another box. As she reached for the doorknob, the entrance flew open, Weiss being drawn to the floor as she collided with a heavy mass. As she was massaging her head from the hard impact, she felt the eerie feeling of deja vu, Ruby on top top of her, rubbing her chin as she too was winching in pain.

"Ouch, Ruby," the heiress hotly complained. "We better not be making this a thing every beginning of the year." At the register of Weiss' shrill protest, the leader's eyes lit up, mood flipping as she realized her lover was beneath her.

Quickly Ruby embraced the slender woman, burying her face in the long ivory threads, Weiss struggling to breath with how hard she was being squeezed. "I'm sorry, Weiss. I was going to go grab some food from the cafeteria. Yang hinted that there was the cookie I really like down there so I wanted to make sure I get a few." As the leader had not received a loving reciprocation from her partner, she took a curious look at Weiss, a fierce scowl and arms crossed were all that was needed to convey how she was feeling towards her girlfriend. "Oh come on, Weiss. I haven't seen you in a month. I want a hug."

Weiss loved her puppy-dog playfulness, but not when it was dirtying her normal attire. "If you think I'm going to hug you when you essentially tackled me to the filthy floor, then in the past month you have forgotten who you're dating."

Ruby let out a nervous laugh, "Right, right. Let's get you up," the leader said, daintily lifting the heiress off the floor, dusting off and smoothing her skirt as Weiss was fixing her hair. When she felt like she was decent and not disheveled, she grabbed the scruff of Ruby's cloak, giving a quick peck before enveloping her in her arms.

"There's your hug. Now go get your cookies. We'll catch up when you get back," Weiss permitted, the leader not needing to be told twice as she burst down the hall, a trail of rose petals in her wake. The heiress entered the room, herself disappointed that all of the extra set of stairs gave her was a better view of the campus and an extra bookshelf. With the familiar room not needing a second rundown, she noticed on one of the twin beds Yang and Blake exchanging Lien credits. Wanting to greet her other two teammates was a good excuse to pry into the conversation.

"Hey girls. Why do I sense something unscrupulous was going on?"

Yang was already beaming a large smile, the heiress knowing whatever was happening was because of her. "Blake and I had a bet wondering how long would it take before you had a sour face and were glowering at one of us. I said that it would be before you stepped in the room and Blake took the over and look where that ended you," the blonde cheekily ribbed her girlfriend.

"I may be giving you ten Lien, but you sweating and scanning frantically for Weiss earlier was entertainment enough," Blake jested back, Weiss repeating her earlier expression with Ruby as she was annoyed that these two were betting on her usual mannerisms. "See, if Ruby hadn't collided with you, I would have won."

The heiress hadn't realized she was making the same face until the Faunus had pointed it out, the heiress huffing and rolling her eyes at her usual manner of operating being that predicable. Blake raised from her bed, bringing in Weiss with a comforting hug. "Don't get all mad. I missed you, scowl included. It's good to see you again, Weiss."

The heiress dismantled her high guard for a moment and took the Faunus' welcoming gesture. "I missed you too, Blake. And you too Ya...ahh."

The blonde swooped in and tightly embraced Weiss, the heiress not liking the strength behind Yang's physical expressions of affection. "Nice to see a softer side of you, Weiss, but I like that you didn't change. Keep the scowl."

"Not a problem when you're wringing the air out of my lungs," she strained to get out, Yang taking the plead out clue and released the heiress, but not letting her out of her orbit as she placed a her hands on either of the smaller girl's shoulders.

"How's it been going since then?" Yang bringing down the lighthearted air to ask a far more heavy question. Weiss knew what she was talking about having not seen her since the beach house incident.

"Umm... fine, I guess. It certainly got better. Being alone did a lot of good for me. As great as you all were when it happened, I needed to cool down and figure a lot of this out myself. Unfortunately, it started to backfire and the more I was thinking about the situation, it depressed me more. Luckily, your sister was kind enough to not only show me a good time, but stay with me as I was going through this transformative period of my life. Even if I didn't necessarily find the answer, Ruby was a great distraction that kept my mood afloat."

"I'm glad Ruby was performing her girlfriend duties, but it seems you liked avoiding talking about it with my sister. Not to discount Ruby, but Blake and I are always here if you want to have a more mature discussion. Blake's a smart cookie. I'm sure she could help out," Yang offered, Weiss appreciating the warmth of companionship that's culminated within the team.

"Thanks, but I'll have to take a rain check. All I really know at the moment is that I feel small in the grand scheme of figuring out how to dig the company out of this pit of dissenting reputation. Something that being a huntress might not be great enough to overcome," Weiss imparted to the duo, the heiress glad she could confide in her team about something that a year ago she wouldn't tell anyone.

"You carry way too much on your shoulders. I know Yang vouched for me, but you know Ruby would be at your side to help carry the load at a moments notice," Blake sympathized.

"Yeah and if you don't feel like chasing The White Fang because of an off day, we'll sub in Velvet for you," the blonde joked, Weiss always impressed with Yang's ability to shine an upbeat light on any subject.

"Thanks girls, but I think I'm going to still try and figure this one out on my own. No need to wrangle anyone for help just yet," Weiss reassured, taking in the cordial expressions from her friends. She surveyed her new living quarters, the bare room in need of a desperate makeover. "Isn't this the part where we band together and decorate the room."

"It is. Ruby went to go grab ropes along with some snacks. We had a long discussion and we figured having the beds the way they were was the best solution to solving the space problem. Ruby had a great idea of shoving them all up against the wall, but she didn't know until now, Yang and I have broken the frame a couple times last year. We'd rather inconvenience ourselves rather than you girls as well," Blake revealed, Weiss' face heating up at the possible rough routine that the sturdy frame had to go though for it to break.

"I love it when you're feisty. It's days like that I know I don't have to go to the gym because of the workout you give me," Yang reminiscing fondly as she placed her hand under her chin in deep thought, but the Faunus wouldn't let it last too long as she nudged the blonde with her elbow.

A crash at the door signaled Ruby entering with a few long ropes and an attitude ready for some quick renovations. She kicked the door closed, holding the braided strands high above her head. "It's time girls. Weiss, Blake, Yang, and their fearless leader Ruby to decorate. Banzai!"

"Banzai!" the loving couple chimed in, the rest of the team now focused on the heiress to join in on their merriment.

Weiss turned slightly pink and raised her fist in solidarity. "Banzai."

With all in agreement, the team got down to business. Weiss had a finer taste in decorating and placed professional art on the walls. Yang and Ruby were personalizing their own spaces with their own mementos, the blonde purposefully hanging her Achieve Men posters sideways to irritate the heiress. Blake was making the room seem far more intelligent by lining the bookshelves with novels, leaving out a certain few to balance Yang's bed atop of hers. It may have been a new room, but Weiss was happy to see it look similar to the old one. So much had changed in her life that the familiarity was comforting, her mind able to slow down and stop the processing of the bigger issues.

Weiss aided Ruby with hoisting her bed atop, she only agreeing to it because her partner would be sleeping in her bed permanently. "You have no idea how many times I woke up from a nightmare because your silly bunk bed idea crushed me."

"I thought you wanted bunk beds?" Ruby inquired, fastening the knot in triplicate to insure its stability.

"The bunk beds of my childhood dreams didn't have one precariously hanging from the ceiling," Weiss shot back, making sure her own knots were up to the most perfectionist ideals.

"It didn't fall last year and it won't fall this year. Especially since it won't have an added extra hundred pounds sleeping in it most nights," Ruby promised, jumping down from her ladder, the heiress joining her as she was making a canopy for her bottom bunk that the leader insisted on having. The short-haired girl closed the distance to Weiss, taking her voice lower so the other two wouldn't hear. "I know we've been sleeping in the same bed for awhile now, but it's kind of nice that we got to set this one up together. It doesn't feel like I moved into yours this time."

The heiress was enamored by the sentiment, Ruby likely getting the idea from Yang as Blake had moved into their home recently. Weiss decided to give her the benefit of the doubt and lightly pecked her lover's lips, both still trying to keep it discrete with Yang in the room. "Try not to kick me out of the bed too much if you slack off and need to study alone. It actually was peculiar to not have you next to me while I was falling asleep."

"Well, it might be hard not to upset you when the punishment is setting up a date," Ruby smirked back, the heiress forgetting that she had made the faux-penance as a ruse to have her girlfriend plan a date to switch it up. The leader ran to her suitcase, an envelope in hand as she presented it to Weiss. The snow-haired girl opened the present, floored to see what Ruby had obtained.

"Oh my gosh, Ruby. Are these really Vale Philharmonic Orchestra tickets?" the heiress awestruck at the pinpoint accuracy of her musical taste. "You didn't have to do this for me. I know how niche my favorite bands can be."

"You said I had to plan a date, so I sort of went an extra mile to make this one special. I know it isn't the one year anniversary of us dating, but it's the date that I first met you. I thought that would be worth celebrating more extravagantly. So I got reservations to that steakhouse in Vale you like and went shopping with Blake for a new dress," Ruby expounded, Weiss taken at the amount of effort her partner put into treating her to a mature evening that was catered to her.

The heiress took her girlfriend in her arms, appreciating how well Ruby had done. "You didn't have to do this, but thank you."

"I actually wanted to. You have always been avoiding taking me out to all of these lavish events, thinking that I would be bored of it all, and maybe I might, but I am curious about getting to know your world a little better," the leader asserted, Weiss hating that it would take the initiation of her girlfriend to get her to open up more. She took a look at the seats. They were nothing special, but the thought counted infinitely more as she knew Ruby couldn't afford the orchestra section of the theater. Still, she was curious to know how the rest of the date was paid for.

"Ruby, I love this, but I hope this doesn't end with you in servitude to Pyrrha again."

"No, it's me this time, but I was far more lenient as the amount wasn't as extreme as the necklace," Yang piped in, Weiss figuring it was hard to not eavesdrop when the blonde was feet away. "I lent her a stack of Lien and a promise that on the day of the date, neither of you would come back until after midnight. Since Ruby came back early from walking Zwei one day, she left me with some unfinished business that I need to attend to thoroughly." Yang's focus shifted from the girls to Blake's behind, her taunt tush bent over as she was making the bed. The blonde grew a wicked grin across her face, the smile juxtaposed with a frisky slap to the Faunus' butt. Blake reacted immediately, but withheld her tongue. She leaned in, giving Yang a dirty look as she whispered something equally as dirty in her ear. "Oh, I'm going to make you eat those words or rather, make you eat..."

"Yang!" Weiss and Ruby beseeching the blonde to not finish that flirtatious taunt, although both were familiar enough with sex to make the obvious conclusion. The heiress returned her focus to her girlfriend, steely blue eyes getting lazy as they were swimming in the stormy grays of Ruby. This normal occurrence felt off, Weiss unable to put her finger on it until she got a sinking feeling in her gut, her eyes popping wide as an epiphany struck her.

She was looking up at Ruby.

Weiss stepped away, scared as she was trying to play it off as a trick on her mind, seeing if the floor was at a slant or the leader standing on her tip toes. Ruby was perplexed to the sudden nervous actions of her girlfriend. "What's wrong, Weiss?"

She didn't want to answer, preferring to live in her denial than have it answered immediately. She asked, hoping it was a lift Ruby slipped in her boots. Weiss approached her partner, knowing she was walking into her trap as the leader hadn't shrunk. "Did you grow taller?"

Ruby was taken aback by the question, eyebrows furrowed from the sudden inquiry, but she raised her hand over her head, taking a quick measurement as her hand glided over the white hairs. "I... I think I did. Some of the dresses I was trying on for the date felt a little shorter."

"Only one way to settle this," Yang announced, taking one of Blake's books from the shelf and getting between the couple. "Boots off, the both of you. And I swear, Ruby, this isn't Dad measuring us against the wall. No tippy-toes."

"I won't, Yang," the leader annoyed with Yang bringing up her childlike antics. "This isn't as important as trying to beat you, even though around eight I gave up trying. You got Dad's height."

It may not have been important to Ruby, but Weiss had been dreading the day when her girlfriend would grow that extra inch to outpace her. With the leader's new height, the heiress was now the smallest on the team in every dimension. She wasn't as well-endowed as Yang, as fit as Blake, and now not as tall as Ruby. All of the inferiority hang-ups that her father had been slinging at her during the break were peaking into a complex as Yang ordered the two to stand back to back. The heiress stood as straight as she could, fearing she could strain a muscle as she tried to maximize her chances at being wrong.

Weiss held her breath as Yang placed the book over her head, the results obvious once it was done. "You weren't wrong, Ruby. You have a half to maybe a full inch on Weiss now," the blonde proclaimed.

The heiress exhaled, hating to throw away her denial, wishing she didn't notice and have this dreading feeling prolonged longer. After some playful ribbing to Ruby's new status, the day carried on as usual. The team got down to organizing their areas before a night of fun with Team JNPR, Sun and Neptune. The other girls kept a dialogue going, not noticing the quiet heiress as the crippling neurosis was creeping up on her. "_I can't believe she's taller than me. She's gotten better at the flirting, now even I fall for her charms easier than usual. I never thought her attempts at being sexy by being as awkward as she is would have this effect on me, especially when she uses her puppy-dog eyes to get me under her spell. She's the leader of the team solely now that she's got the hang of it, she doesn't even need her best teammate anymore to pick up the slack. Maybe Father was right, that I'm getting weak because of my friends. I... I..._" Weiss's tormented mind was at the limit. With so little going right in her life and her reigns in the relationship seemingly turning in Ruby's favor, she was desperate for an answer and did what she thought was necessary. "_I will not be bested like this._"

*-Ruby-*

Ruby was glad to be back at Beacon. She loved her island home, but could do without the ocean air clumping her hair with the natural salts in the air. Catching up with her dad was welcomed, but she was liking the semi-independence she was receiving by living away from home. Although she couldn't take him with her this time, she squished and kissed Zwei's fluffy face until their next meeting, hoping her dad would send him for a small vacation to the dorm room again. The one person who wasn't at their home, who she couldn't wait to see once back in Beacon was Weiss. At least that's what she thought.

At the surprise of her agenda of her planned date, the heiress was over the moon, the leader knowing she felt she did right with how ecstatic Weiss appeared. Since then, Ruby had been noticing her girlfriend become more assertive and not in a very polite manner. She discounted it as first week jitters as even Ruby would get nervous about meeting new professors or even having hold old ones with harder classes. What she was experiencing with Weiss was first year regression. Bossy was an understatement as the heiress dictated almost every moment the two were awake. Even in slumber, Weiss would rearrange Ruby's arms so they were more positioning under her breasts instead of the more comfortable spot of having them lay by Weiss' waist. The leader couldn't get a word in edgewise as the heiress would constantly bark orders, Ruby unable to even initiate 'girlfriend talk' to get a dialog going. The leader being shut down by the constant snubbing had her stewing in her resentment towards her girlfriend.

Ruby was freshening up in the shower, making an effort to not take too long washing up so she doesn't get another comment from Weiss about how her skin needs lotion because it's too dry. The short-haired girl felt fortunate about not having the length of hair as the rest of the team, hoping she could keep that time limit. As she was reaching for Weiss' vanilla shampoo, she stopped herself, consciously forgoing it for Yang's citrus and melon scent. Running her fingers through and lathering the follicles, Ruby vented with herself. "_Every part of me wishes I had a stronger voice. I hate being this socially awkward. Any time a person that I care about or a stranger raises their voice, I duck and hide from the verbal assault. It's all Weiss has been dishing out this week and I think I'm starting to feel how Yang feels when her semblance triggers. I'm so frustrated with her, but I can't let it out now hours away from showtime. Also, if I were to blow up and cancel now, I'd systematically ruin Yang and Blake's night. It's no secret to what they've been planning with the room theirs for at least five hours. Just... just put on a smile and enjoy the night. At least the food should be good._"

The leader closed the valves and stepped onto the tile, wrapping a towel around her and finishing up her drying in the bathroom. Upon exiting, she noticed a bright red object upon her bedspread. Her attention diverted from the drawers to examine the new article of clothing. Sleeved in a plastic protection, a red, single-shoulder strap gown had been pressed and laid out with a sticky note left on the outside reading '_Wear me._'

"_What the... this isn't the dress I picked out with Blake. This is Weiss' handwriting. But I had picked out one that would have complimented the snowflake necklace better. I have to talk to her and see..._" Ruby was already heading to Team JNPR's room, Weiss getting ready in their facilities, until the leader noticed the time on her alarm clock. There was barely time to start the conversation let alone argue why Weiss stepped over her head on this one. Ruby took a deep breath, compartmentalized the anger, and vowed to deal with it later.

As Ruby was fitting herself into the snug outfit, she was hoping that this was a mistake at it was actually Weiss' dress she was putting on. Unfortunately, it fit flawlessly, her bust fitting soundly in the couplets being the disappointing sign. As mad as she was, the fabric was of the highest quality, the velvety slimness hugging her curves. She hated wearing evening gloves as they were shackles that prevented her from eating anything messy like cookies. As she was taking a look in the mirror, Ruby hated admitting how good it looked on her, the two pleated treads flowing from her shoulder and down to her hems. Arranged on her waist and shoulder were a pair of roses in full bloom, irritating her more at the heiress' attention to detail.

Ruby was fastening her heels, although pondering on wearing her boots as the dress would hide them effectively. The pair Weiss had left felt too short as the leader was practicing walking in them, herself tripping over the length of the dress. "_Alright... one more time. Casual steps. I need to get this down._"

As she was painstakingly trying to get better at walking in these shoes of torture, a furious number of knocks came from the door, Ruby losing her focus and tripping face first onto the bed. As Ruby was groaning in defeat, the shrill voice of the heiress came from the entrance. "Oh my goodness, that better not be you napping when we're already slightly behind schedule."

Ruby quickly straightened up, her body trained too well to know when Weiss was annoyed. "I-I wasn't. I was practicing..."

"No time. Come on. The limo driver is already waiting," Weiss ordered, Ruby scampering towards the door, the heiress lending out her arm for her to latch onto. The leader did as she was supposed to, securing herself under Weiss' grasp. Ruby didn't talk much as every part of her brain was focusing on not tripping or spraining an ankle down the steps to the airship. With a moment to breathe, Ruby gazed at her girlfriend. In the moonlight, Weiss shined in a white strapless dress, the simplicity was its elegance as it tapered around her shins, a small train ending at her feet. The heiress was in higher heels than Ruby, which made the leader insanely jealous as the heiress seemed to be having no trouble walking in them. Any other night, Ruby would normally be in awe at the striking beauty that was in front of her. With all the frustration swimming in her mind, the image was tarnished, leaving the leader quiet as she was distracting herself from the sullied image of her girlfriend.

The limo drive wasn't as awkward as Ruby was dreading, Weiss mostly taking hold of the conversation, Ruby coming in-and-out of the exchange to give affirmatives to whatever Weiss was saying. The leader was in a state of swirling defeat and depression, her face confused to which one to express so a contented smile was plastered on her face, the heiress none the wiser as Ruby was keeping her cool and begging for this night to not test her patience further.

Ruby noticed an unusual amount of time spent in the car, knowing that it took no more than fifteen minutes at most to get to the restaurant from the airship. As she tried her best to peer out the tinted windows, she noticed they were a district over from where they needed to be. "Weiss, did your driver get the wrong directions? We are way past the steakhouse."

"Oh, that's because I made reservations at a different place. I felt some Atlas cuisine would better suit such an extravagant date. Your steakhouse was good, but I think this place should tease your taste buds in a frenzy," a snarky arrogance in her answer had Ruby wanting to speak out in protest. She had picked out the restaurant personally because Weiss had mentioned in conversation that their steak entrees were superb and secretly Ruby was drooling over the dessert menu when she scouted the place.

"_Why would she... forget it. Atlas food is great. I haven't had much and opening my pallet to something different will be good for me. Weiss wouldn't pick anything less than ideal for us. Maybe the dessert menu has got some things I've never tried either. Yeah that's how... that's how I spin it to my friends._" Ruby's fake smile fooled the heiress as they departed from the limo.

The feelings of inadequacy didn't hamper as she walked inside the restaurant. The walls were a blanched, eggshell white, bronzed, golden trim accenting the crevices with a regal appearance. The aged look highlighted by the mass of well-placed chandeliers that illuminated the room a peerless bleached style. All of the tables were round, draped unilaterally with a white tablecloth either seating four or a couple. As they were being led to a more secluded corner, the spotless sheen of the tiles floor made Ruby feel guilty that she was tarnishing it with her heels for a second. As they were seated, a small gray oiled lamp was lit by their waiter.

Ruby felt isolated as she took a gander at the rest of the clientele. She may have dressed like them, but she knew when she was an alien to a setting. Each of the people sitting she assumed was able to pay for their meal in the amount of time it took for them to be valeted. With all of the elegance surrounding her, the leader wasn't surprised when she saw the menu, the amount of money for even an entree to split was enough to bleed her wallet dry. Ruby knew what Weiss would have as a response, but she still tried to make it fair. "Is it alright with you if I just pay for my portion of the meal?"

"Don't worry about it, Ruby. I got it this time," Weiss answered, the leader still feeling the pain of inefficacy as her assumption proved true. Although sad at first, Ruby was finding it hard to find the logic in the pricing when her portions for her meal were so small that she was begging for her dessert to try and feel satisfied with her hunger. She did give credit where credit was due as the white raspberry chocolate mousse may have been better than any cookie that she's ever eaten. However, the five spoonfuls of the delectable custard treat was the only good part. Weiss was still being charming and well-mannered, but with the way she's been minimizing and overriding Ruby's efforts had her wishing she hadn't made that agreement with Yang so she could go back to the dorm and cry.

The car ride was mostly silent, the leader guessing Weiss needed to rest her vocal chords as she had been long-winded to say the least. Ruby held the heiress' hand on the way to the theater. She couldn't describe the feeling she had been having since she had to save face and act like she normally would as a girlfriend. It had been a long time since she felt this kind of coldness, this harsh barrier she thought she persuasively tore down since knowing Weiss that made her feel so distant.

As they were getting in line to enter the theater, Ruby pulled out the tickets that were tucked covertly in her cleavage, the leader now seeing how smart her sister has been for using her bra as a massive pocket. As they got closer to security, Ruby ready to hand off the paper for scanning, Weiss stepped in front of her to address the employee. "Yes, this is Weiss Schnee requesting the balcony seats I reserved."

"Identification please." The heiress pulled out her handbag and gave the man the requested information. "Excellent. Follow me, Ms. Schnee."

"Wait.. what? But-but my seats are on the third floor. How did you...?" the leader pleaded, Weiss interrupting her as they were ascending the stairs.

"The balcony seats are really only available for the wealthy so unless it's in extreme demand, there will always be at least one open. I saw the seats you got us and just had to upgrade as you haven't seen the Vale Philharmonic Orchestra and it should be in a perfect view with plush seats."

Ruby's heart sank as she felt the last piece of her date swept from beneath her feet. She couldn't reply if she wanted to, her mind snapping as the last straw broke the ursa's back. The leader was glad that the theater was dimly lit, the dark drapery and wood paneling of the majestic room hiding her displeasure. Ruby distracted herself from her emotions to take a look around, never having been at such an event. Thousands were seated, Ruby listening to the crowd, all in anticipation for seeing this band of eighty-four play for the next two and a half hours.

"_I may be used to a four piece punk band and the Achieve Men, but this is supposed to be the greatest classically trained musicians all put into this one room. Music is always a great way to relax and I know my mind would appreciate some soothing sounds. Please... please let this be good,_" Ruby prayed, wanting at least one thing to go her way after what Weiss had done to her date.

The lights dimmed and the crowd silenced itself, the conductor taking a center spotlight as the band took their seats. With a few flicks of his wand, the orchestra built up to their booming opening. Ruby could appreciate the mastery, the music being played, and how perfectly each instrument was placed in junction with certain musical aspects. All that aside, the leader was officially defeated when she couldn't swallow this cup of tea. "_I'm so bored!_"

The sadness welled up in Ruby fused with the animosity she had towards Weiss. Now having to keep her head up by position her fist under her chin, she was at the point where she couldn't take one more second of the date. Ruby was never one to abandon, but she needed at least five minutes for herself, the crescendos not helping as the orchestra played on. "_I'm going to pee out of boredom._"

Ruby was proud that she sat through at least an hour and fifteen without falling asleep, but excused herself saying she needed to use the restroom. The leader was weirded out by the security that sat outside the balcony entrance, but they at least knew where the restroom was. As soon as she was out of sight, she took the tickets out of her cleavage, crumpled them up and threw it in the nearest receptacle. Ruby followed the hallway, but noticed the entrance to the roof adjacent to the bathroom. Seeing as fresh air would be better than whatever lemony scent they used to clean before curtain would be better, she stepped outside.

The leader noticed that the door was only unlocked from the inside, finding a cinder block nearby to keep the door propped open. Ruby stepped towards the edge of the building, happy to hear the cars and the occasional airship fly over instead of the music. "_What am I to do? I've had Weiss mad at me, furious even, but I can't exactly leave. I didn't think I'd be on the other side of the argument this time, but unlike Weiss, I haven't been exactly prominent with how I'm feeling. Curse having her in the same dorm. Maybe I can kick her to Team JNPR's after midnight. Even so, the night is still young. We got plenty of time before I can even think about sleeping in... our bed._"

Ruby buried her face in her palms, trying to center herself so she can act civil for the next few hours. Part of her didn't want to. She wanted to give Weiss a rant that was as fervent and raving as hers just so she could dose her with her own medicine. The other part knew she'd complicate the situation with no where to duck and hide if she were to blow up now, contemplating to keep quiet until tomorrow. But she didn't know how much more she could tolerate, especially if Weiss planned one more thing she would hate after this.

"Hey," a call came from behind, Ruby composing herself in proper as she heard the scolding voice behind her.

The leader turned to address the heiress, propping up the heavy door as she stood at the frame. Ruby hadn't realized she was lost that deep in thought until Weiss pointed it out. "How did you know I was here?"

"You were gone for fifteen minutes. I asked security and they said you went to the bathroom and didn't come back this way. I checked both bathrooms and followed the only way you could have gone. I almost had a heart attack when I saw you could have only been on the roof. The last time I left you alone on a roof, you were kidnapped. I'm glad to see you alright, but you didn't go to the bathroom, did you?"

"No... I didn't exactly tell the truth," Ruby sheepishly confessed, igniting the heiress to provoke further.

"I didn't get us balcony seating for it to go to waste like this. Now come on, the show is working its way to the climax," Weiss beckoned, Ruby matching the scowl planted on her girlfriend's face.

"I never asked for that seating!" Ruby raised her voice, peaking the heiress' attention as the leader was just getting started. "I didn't ask for this date. I didn't ask for that dinner and I certainly didn't ask for this dress which I wish I could take off, but I sort of don't have a change of clothes. I'm taking these heels off, though. I've almost tripped over them three times already," Ruby defiantly stated, happy to have her bare feet flat on the cold concrete.

"So that's how you see it. I didn't think you would be so ungrateful. I am..."

"Don't talk to me about being ungrateful!" Ruby yelled, the leader's tone instantly shutting the heiress up as she advanced towards Weiss. "I set up this date because you suggested it. I took the time and effort to organize everything because I wanted to make this day special. Coming to Beacon and meeting you a year ago changed everything. I wanted to spoil you today because I don't get to often and meeting you was one of the most precious memories I have of you, even though it was shaky at best. But you didn't get to let me have that. The second I got out of the shower and saw this on the bed should have been the omen to confront you like I am now." Ruby tugging at her dress as she was now looking up at the heiress. "You've been acting callous this entire week and I'm tired of it. I'm not requesting girlfriend talk, I'm telling you that if you don't tell me that something is up, I'm going... somewhere." Ruby hating that she stumbled over her final thought, but she remembered that she couldn't go back to the dorm.

As proud as she was to finally get that off she chest, it was slowly leaving her as Weiss' eyes began to water up. "You really want to know why? It's because I feel lost, Ruby," the heiress revealed, her voice shaking as she continued. "After that fight, it shook the very core of who I thought I was and what I had to do. I thought a year at Be-beacon had changed it, but I feel more cast away than ever. I thought I could stand up to my Father, but failed, Yang having to bail me out at the last minute. My si-sister, who was running the company in my Father's absence, was the one that was able to keep it together while he was rampaging through the offices. I couldn't best him as a huntress and was helpless in aiding my sister when it was trouble that I was responsible for. When I came back to Beacon, I knew that at least I had some co-control of something in my life, our relationship. But when I saw you grow taller, it made me reflect on how much you've grown as a person. In the past year, you've become a friendly face around the school, a skillful flirt, a thoughtful lo-lover, and you command this team so effortlessly that I didn't even notice until now that I had been shut out of any delineations. What have I done in the past year? Wh-what have I done to grow?"

Ruby stood stunned at the distressed heiress in front of her, the leader feeling crestfallen that she knew something was wrong and didn't think for a second that there could be an underlying problem this severely grim making her girlfriend melancholy. Ruby reached over hesitantly to comfort Weiss, the heiress shunning the loving touch until she took more of an initiative and placed her hand on the trembling girl's shoulder. As the leader advanced, Weiss embraced her actions, welcoming Ruby taking her in her arms. The rose frills on her strap soaked up the heiress' tears as she was silently trying to pull herself together.

The leader stroked her back, hoping the words needed wouldn't fumble out of her and fan the flames of dearth. "I forget at times that you have more on your plate than just being a student. At least dealing with The White Fang you have us and the army, but you battle a lot on your own. I heard what your father was shouting to you. It hurt to hear for me and none of those were directly attacking me. Whatever mind games your father has plagued you with, I assure you he's absolutely wrong. You are not weak, Weiss. You are the strongest person I have ever met. In the past year, you took part in many White Fang take downs, rescued me, and did it all without even losing a grade point. After you became less cold to people, you showed me how merciful you can be, sparing me so many times when I've screwed up something, how charitable you are with your time as you constantly give yourself to me or the school, and how honorable you are with trying to do more than just be a huntress by cleaning up your father's company. Me growing an inch changes nothing. As flattering as it is to think I've matured, I think you forgot that the first day of school I knocked you over to get a plate of cookies." Ruby lightening the mood with a joke, the leader feeling Weiss smile into her skin. "By the way, the only reason I have the confidence to be as flirtatious and loving is because you let me and I'm always leading by your example because I respect you so much as a girlfriend... as my lover. You're so much more than what you think, Weiss."

After a long window of silence, Ruby was relieved to feel Weiss' arm reciprocate her embrace. "Thanks, Ruby," she whispered against her skin. "I really needed to hear that."

Ruby didn't know how long they were holding each other, but she could tell that the show was coming to a close with how rhapsodic the music was playing. "Don't you want to see the rest of the show?"

"Yeah, but there will be other times." Weiss tightening the embrace as she came back to gaze into Ruby's eyes. The majestic blue orbs still stained red, but the heiress was content, the leader placing a kiss on her forehead.

The couple stood, Ruby wanting to sit, but would instantly dirty their dresses. She heard the crowd below giving a standing ovation and proceeding to leave the theater, Ruby and Weiss leaning over the edge and people watched as they let the concert hall empty. Not having to lie this time, Ruby went to use the restroom, the leader wanting to alternate the dress as using the toilet became an almost impossible task with the length. As she was washing her hands, a voice came over the speakers.

"Miss Ruby Rose, please report to the center of the orchestra section. That is all." Ruby hurriedly went downstairs while fitting her evening gloves on, a spotlight centered around a grand piano, Weiss setting up a stand with a microphone.

"Weiss, what are you doing?"

"I'm trying my best to try and say I'm sorry. My behavior was atrocious this week and I feel that's putting it lightly. You didn't like the concert and I don't blame you. Orchestras are only really appreciated when they're in a film score anyway. So, I asked the manager if the piano could be the last in storage while I attempt to serenade you. I really hope I remember how to play this," Weiss explained, Ruby completely enamored at the effort the heiress was putting into after what happened minutes ago.

"Weiss, you don't have to."

"Perhaps, but it's not often I get to display the creative part of me to impress you," Weiss said, unstrapping her heels as she oriented herself to the musical instrument. After a test of the keys, Weiss began to play. Maybe it was because it was her girlfriend playing, but the leader was captivated by the melody, Ruby amazed that her partner had this kind of skill with the piano. As adept as Weiss was at playing, Ruby's jaw dropped when she started singing.

Her voice was beyond this realm, a nearly ethereal sound that Ruby had only heard muffled in the shower almost seemed unreal. Chills were running through her as Weiss' voice would hit certain notes. As enchanted she was at her piano skills, Ruby was completely hypnotized as Weiss kept singing, wishing there were more lyrics to the song as Weiss was coming up from the breakdown bridge. The chorus changed, her voice not being challenged by the alteration in range.

As the key was strung, Ruby couldn't hold her gratitude back, standing up and making her hands hurt with how hard she was clapping. "Oh my goodness, Weiss! That was incredible! I never knew you had such an amazing voice or play the piano. What else do I not know about you?"

Weiss got up to address her partner. "There's a lot you don't know, but I want to change that. Because I wasn't forthright with all that was troubling me led us here. I know I told you I wouldn't bore you with all the technical aspects of the company, but I realized that I can't do this alone. I know that I'm way more than I choose to acknowledge, but I wouldn't have this clarity without you, Ruby." Weiss beckoned her girlfriend to join her on the stage, the leader taking her partner's hand as she was hoisted to the top. "I promise to be more open about this stuff. The power trip I went on I think we can agree is a roadblock not worth revisiting."

Out of any of the reasons Weiss had for a more mature Ruby, it was when the heiress would trust her with such intimate information are the times she felt validated to be called adult. She smiled down at her girlfriend, Weiss glowing as she was affectionately being gazed upon. "I'll do my best to help." The two stood in a comfortable silence, Ruby noticing a slight blush creeping on the heiress' face. "What's got you worked up?"

"I'm still getting used to looking up at you. Don't expect it to be too soon, but it's kind of... attractive to have my lover taller than me. I didn't get to lace my arms like this when you were shorter." Weiss loosely hung off of Ruby as she brought her in closer, the heiress arching into her as the leader seized Weiss' lips, capturing her by the hip as the other brushed her long length of ponytail back behind her.

It wasn't new for Ruby to take the lead, but it was new for Weiss choosing to be submissive, the leader adding a new mark of growth Weiss has chosen to ignore. The heiress took out her scroll, not pleased with the time. "We have a little less than an hour before we can return back to the dorm, but I want to give them more time. Wouldn't be surprised if they're stretching their time allotted to the limit as they haven't had sex since we returned for school."

Ruby's face soured as she was reminded of Yang's condition. "Yeah. That might be a good idea. What do we do till then?"

"I know it's no Myrtenaster, but I could give you a tutorial on the piano."

"Only if I get another opportunity to hear you sing."

"Deal," Weiss said taking a seat on the bench, offering Ruby a seat next to her.

As Weiss went over the notes, Ruby was still struck by the confidence the heiress had in her to make her a part of her goals. "_I'm glad to help her carry this burden. I don't think I'd fair any better if I was in her shoes. I know she says we've grown and maybe we have, but we still have such a ways to go. With our worlds so intertwined, we'll be growing together._"


	27. Blake: Ghosts of Cat Lives Past

Hello again. A lot of things happening on the horizon. For me, Comic Con is next week and I'm about to explode from happiness. I can't wait to meet all the artists, actors, and all the cool people who attend. If this story never gets updated again, it's because I left my heart in Hall H with the Star Wars panel. I know my wallet won't make it out alive. RWBY is coming soon, but I may not see it for reason above. This chapter goes way,way back to the original days of the story. It's just Blake's perspective. I wanted, of course, to have Yang in there, but it would've felt forced and I didn't want to take away from the impact for Blake. Thank you for the reviews. If I don't get back to you, it's because I've been too busy to write back something as well thought out and organized. I do read and do take into consideration all that's written. It's not lost on deaf ears. To make this longer, I've had a twitter acc forever, just for the handle, would any of you be interested in me posting, and what would you be interested in if I do? I'll leave my handle in the next update after some response. Till then, happy cons and happy 4th.

Blake: Ghosts of Cat Lives Past

Blake shut the window panes as Yang was doing a quickie spraying down of the sea breeze scent to counter the smell of sex that lingered after the many hours of intimate fun. The Faunus went to her dresser and put on a fresh pair of cotton panties, tightly securing her robe and getting ready for a much desired sleep. As she was tying the knot, she felt the familiar length of strong, slender arms wrap around her waist, the blonde sneaking past the mass of sweat-soaked hair and planting numerous kisses along her neck. Blake didn't hold back the laughter as she was still feeling frisky after the long session.

"You need to turn it down," she said between a giggle. "We are already over time and Ruby and Weiss could literally be outside the door."

"This is turned down. If I was back up to peak performance, those panties would already be in a soaked puddle on the floor," Yang coyly replied, Blake not doubting that with the charged atmosphere of the last week of planning sex had her libido in overdrive in anticipation for this day. Still, she was going to keep order and not have an embarrassing turnout of events that would spoil this lustful night. Blake wriggled herself out of the blonde's grip, cuffing her wrists together and backing up her partner to the bed. With a playful toss, she threw Yang onto the red sheets, still damp from the evening's events. Blake crawled on top of her, a devilish grin sweeping her face as she knew she had Yang where she wanted her, having her think her plan had worked.

The Faunus subverted expectations and leaned in, giving a restrained kiss to her lover's cheek, knowing she successfully subdued the lust inside them both as she cradled into Yang's form. The blonde's arm curled around her waist as Blake nuzzled her head into the crook of her girlfriend's neck, taking in a deep inhalation of her sweet mixture of sex and citrus, missing it as the air freshener was settling around the room. The Faunus felt Yang's hand slither up her body, Blake knowing she was still going to try some more buttons by her actions.

Blake stopped her hand under to her bust. "This hand moves neither farther up or further down. We're done for tonight and, just to stroke your ego, I wouldn't want to do anything more than to continuously make love to you through the night."

"Aww, Blake. That might be the most romantic thing ever said to me," Yang gleefully pronounced followed by a kiss between her ears. "I'll submit, but I'm going to cuddle you so hard you're going to arrive again."

Blake laughed with her girlfriend, bittersweet that this wasn't going to continue as both were still wide awake. "This was really needed. Considering that The White Fang was unusually quiet during the break can only mean that they were planning something in their absence, making days like today probably rare in the coming future."

"They plan catastrophes. We plan dates. Speaking of dates, I'm really happy Ruby couldn't supersede my authority and kick us out for tonight. You tense up like crazy when you hear Zwei bark in the backyard making the most jerking movements that scare me when I'm busy," Yang teased, Blake hating that she was still using that animal against her.

"You know I'm not fond of him. He's better trained than most dogs, I'll give him that, but you know there has to be some sort of adjustment period for me. Sorry I'm not Weiss who almost took him home the second she saw him," Blake retorted, the Faunus feeling her girlfriend tighten at the mention of the heiress.

"Oh yeah. Now that you mention her, Weiss... she is someone who can kick us out," Yang confessed, Blake hearing the sincerity in the crushed tone in her voice had to prop herself up to find a very guilty face.

"What's that supposed to mean? What deal did you make with her?"

"Something that lead to us being here if that's a consolation prize," Yang spoke, the Faunus still wearing a concerned expression as she was doubting her girlfriend's unwillingness to open up about it. "Look, you're going to have to let me keep the secret this time. Weiss made me promise and I've already broken half of it by revealing I do have this contract with her. I'm sorry, though."

Blake wanted to dig further, but she couldn't count on her fingers anymore with how many times Yang has requested about the days she was in the The White Fang, she withholding the information to protect her girlfriend from the many hurtful actions that are similar to what they've been combating recently. Not having the conviction to pressure Yang, Blake conceded. "Fine, but I hope it doesn't have anything to do with money."

"It doesn't. It's harmless currency. Well, for you it is, but considering it's almost one in the morning, I think we're in the clear. Those two are luckily not us. If the roles were reversed, Weiss and Ruby would be out of the room like they will be next week as we celebrate someone's birthday," Yang lead on, Blake's pupils shrinking as she knew whom she was referring to.

"No. We talked about this. I'm not big on celebrating my birthday. Remember last year? We didn't do anything."

"Oh my goodness, you have to stop fighting me on this. Also, you can't use that excuse. Last year we weren't even partners and barely knew you. Stop trying to weasel logic your way out of this and let me plan something for you."

Blake always found it hard when her girlfriend was being so considerate, her only request to throw a decent party for her to remember. The Faunus liked staying out of the limelight and was fine with only one person remembering her birthday. A party, though, was something she hadn't had since she was young, the memory so distant that she can barely remember the day's events. She knew Yang, though. Regardless of what she said, she had already blueprints etched out in her mind and probably bought some supplies and a gift. All was left was for Blake to give her the blessing so she could continue unhinged.

Blake reached over and held Yang's hand, lacing her fingers as she voiced her concern. "Fine. I'm done talking about this, but I can't stress the point enough that I want this to be a casual, small event amongst friends. No theme, no gifts, no balloons. Simple."

"You are taking all of the fun of planning a party. Good thing I'll end up planning the dance again this year. If there's one birthday wish I can grant early, I'll make it this," Yang complied, Blake hearing the sincerity in her voice knowing she got her point across. The Faunus softened up and placed a kiss on Yang's lips, forcing a hand on the blonde's chest to make sure she knew this wasn't an initiator for anything further.

"I want to thank you now, but you've been known to have something deep within your sleeves."

"I'll spoil one thing. You know I'm buying you a gift as will Ruby and Weiss. Anyone else will have it be optional, though our group of friends are not some mooches who will come for the free food and bevs," Yang reassuringly said, the Faunus still not at complete ease at the looming nature of a birthday. The blonde picked up on her insecurity, stroking the soft mass of black hair, lovingly fondling her ears as her hands grazed the sensitive appendages. Blake hated that this was still the easiest way to relax her, Yang always pulling this tactic out when she's had a bad dream and in need of something more nurturing. "It's going to be fun. I promise to keep it as simple as I can with the group, even if I have to bribe people to not give you a gift."

Blake knew this was as good as she could negotiate with her partner, taking her words to heart and laid back in Yang's crook of her neck. She was surprised to still not have Ruby or Weiss come back as the night went on, but was glad to be alone, the blonde's snoring the white noise she desired as she was having trouble falling back to sleep. "_I wish I could tell her why I'm not so fond of birthdays, but I try so hard to forget about the days of The White Fang that I can't find the voice. Always able to pull the excuse that it's not the right time to tell her and she so willingly able to let it slide to not rock our relationship. It's days like this that I hate myself. She has told me so many personal stories about her childhood, her mom's disappearance, her and Ruby's relationship. Not to ever discount her hardships, but I feel selfish that I feel my past is too harsh to even talk about, constantly trying to avoid it in conversation that it makes me wonder why she doesn't get more frustrated by it._"

Blake was broken out of her thoughts as Yang shifted in her sleep, pivoting herself more towards the Faunus and nesting herself into her raven hair. Blake was amused at the unconscious gesture, the woman taking Yang's free arm and wrapping it around her. "_You're a bad enabler about this, but I respect you so many times for when you pushed me to talk about what's hurting me. I promise, Yang, that I'll talk soon. I may not be ready, but your patience deserves rewarding at some point. I trust that you won't run the other direction when I talk about it._"

Blake fell asleep content with her reasoning. Being together with Yang almost a year had given her a multitude of credit to her promise. She has also given her plenty of reasons to know when the blonde is up to no good. In the week leading up to her birthday, Yang was surprisingly absent. The Faunus knew she was out planning, but she may have needed to clarify further on what her idea of simple is before giving Yang free roam to interpret it how she likes.

Blake would be sitting in the room casually reading a novel as she noticed the blonde mane poke its head through the crack of the door and vanish abruptly as they made eye contact. Another separate occasion is when Yang had hurriedly stuffed bags underneath their bed, Blake vowing to not take a peek at what was under there before the date. Every part of her wanted to take that child-like glance to see what was in store for her, but she restrained herself in believing in what Yang had promised.

Still, the skeptical nature of the Faunus had her sweating beads as the morning came, Yang all of a sudden leashing herself to Blake as the entire day she was dragged around Vale. She crossed her fingers and hoped that a small brunch and a cone of ice cream would be all that would constitute as the birthday date, but she wasn't going to be optimistic. Her realistic tendencies came into fruition as Yang led her back to the dorm where her friends were waiting for her.

"Surprise!" they all shouted, Blake hiding her embarrassment in her palms as she walked into the ruse that Yang had planned. As Blake was making her rounds, thanking everyone for coming, she had to at least give credit to her girlfriend that she kept it small. The desks were arranged to fit the plethora of snacks and Yang's collection of alcohol and mixers. The beds were pushed to the walls, which gave a little extra room for the teams, Sun and Neptune to mingle without bumping elbows. The music was a mixture of Yang and Blake's taste, the scroll on shuffle as the Faunus would take note of the random Achieve Men song that was no doubt purposefully placed. She didn't have to force a smile or pretend to be enthused, Blake unable to hold back from beaming felicity as she took a glance and appreciate all that Yang designed, the friends that took there time to celebrate with her, and how much fun not only they were having, but she was having.

Blake was taking to a corner, catching up with the young deputies, beverages in hand, Sun maybe having a bit too much too soon as he was going on about his mission. "So, it's like crazy awesome that I have a badge. I'm a deputy. I am the law now and it's sort of really awesome that I'm on the other side of the road and I'm seeing things a little differently. It all of a sudden isn't us against them, but we're building something greater together, you know."

Blake smirked at the over enthusiasm of the monkey Faunus, glad to see his rebellious nature wasn't grinding against his supervising huntsman. "So I'll take it that the huntsman who trains you and Neptune is a swell guy."

"Oh yeah, he's totally great. I can tell he was hand-picked by Ozpin as he has such an affinity for Faunus and Faunus rights that I became the better one before Neptune could try and suck up to him with some well-spoken compliments."

"I heard my name." Neptune came up, three shot glasses in hand as he called out Sun on his lie. "You better not be talking about our supervisor. He may have liked you more initially, but your form has gotten sloppy because of the praise and now with some elite battle strategies by me, I've surpassed you."

"You are still the big talker after you let a White Fang truck get away. You know the 'I tripped over my shoelaces' excuse can only be used once," Sun teased back.

"I didn't trip. I was hit by some dust debris that landed me between an alley because someone fell asleep during the stakeout. Take this shot and more because I want the truth out of you before the night is over," Neptune threatened, dispensing the shots to the other two.

"A tit-for-tat then so I can hear all about your shoe lace problems." Sun raised his glass. "Now for the woman of the hour. Happy birthday, Blake." The Faunus and Neptune clanged their glasses, Blake not questioning what the mohawked man could have poured, but was ready to slug it down until a hand forced her from imbibing her shot.

"I know this is your party, but I got a little something extra that I need you to be sober for." Yang kindly twisted the drink out of her hand and downed it before Blake could answer.

"I didn't think the party planner would be such a wet blanket," the Faunus adding a little sass in her tone as she was feeling the warm buzz of a couple rounds of alcohol.

"The wet blanket part comes later, if you catch my drift," the blonde winked, Blake connecting the dots immediately as she looked over to their bed, knowing too well what Yang had in store for added pleasure. Her partner closed in, lowering her voice so that only she could hear. "I got reservations to the restaurant we've been meaning to try. Go to the bathroom, down some water, put on the sexy black dress from last year's dance, and get ready for me to take it down as we enjoy the rest of your birthday together."

With her message said, Yang swiftly made her way to the front of the room, grabbing a desk chair and standing on her soap box. "I need everyone's attention please!" the blonde yelled out, the party pausing as Weiss hit the pause button on the scroll. "Again, thank you all for coming and let's have one last swig to Blake."

"Cheers!" Everyone participating in the gesture, the Faunus staying good and not asking to take a drink from anyone's glass.

"Now, I have to take the birthday girl away for some special girlfriend purposes, but this party isn't stopping. Jaune and the rest of Team JNPR have offered their room across the hall. Gather what you need and head out. Also, a reminder to the rest of Team RWBY, bring your sleepover gear because you're not allowed back into this room till morning," Yang not withholding a smug grin as she looked over to Weiss, arms crossed and rolling her eyes at the comment.

"Eww. Gross Sis!" Ruby bullishly shouted out, the Faunus taking a look over to see Ruby's face flushed, not from embarrassment, but from the alcohol unraveling her usual politeness. The leader was draping herself on the heiress, Weiss stabilizing the tipsy woman as she propped her up.

"I'm allowed to cut your sister off, right?" Weiss almost not wanting a request as she was getting fed up with Ruby's drunken behavior.

"Permission granted. Ruby, behave yourself. The rest of you, march!" Yang commanded, the party train making its next stop across the hall. Even with yards between them, Blake could still hear the fun booming across the hall, the Faunus hoping Yang wasn't twisting Jaune's wrist to allow their room to be the last departure. Blake did as she was instructed, sobering herself up as best she could with a couple glasses of water. The Faunus did what she could in terms of gussying up for a more formal birthday date. A quick run with the brush through her hair and applying the most minuscule of makeup touches, she was ready. She knew today was all about her, but she decided to dig deeper in the drawer and pick out the black thong Yang finds sexy, complimenting it with a lacy bra to give the blonde something fun to unwrap later as well.

Blake sat at her desk, clearing off the crumbs and small spills of pouring from bottles, and noticed the small pile of brightly covered gifts in the corner. The Faunus always felt weird opening gifts specifically bought for her, but with no one else around, she didn't get the spotlight that made it all the more awkward. She randomly chose one, but judging from the red and white paper, she could tell who the first gift was from. Blake peeled off the paper, relieved that the book wasn't another collection to add to the smut suitcase. The Faunus was, however, impressed to see an autograph on the inside by one of her favorite authors. "_Say what you want about Weiss, but at least she's generous with her wealth. Ruby probably helped her pick this out. This is Adventure and Fantasy._"

Blake continued on to Jaune and Pyrrha's gift. She expected something wholesome from the both of them and they didn't disappoint with earmuffs that were able to conceal her identity in the winter. Nora and Ren's gift was hastily wrapped and came with a pair of fuzzy handcuffs and a book about adding food and sex together. There was an apology note from Ren stating that he was wrong to trust Nora with the shopping and is very sorry. She was surprised to see Sun put in more than an effort as his was a framed picture of Yang and Blake dancing at the prom, but was also in tangent with Neptune's gift of sensual oils, which had it's own note of '_Sun told me to get this. I'm so sorry if this is inappropriate._'

The only gift that wasn't present was Yang's, but she knew her girlfriend had to have the finale, wondering where in the room her present was. Just as her curiosity was cresting, the blonde stepped out of the bathroom in a radiant short sleeve gold sequin dress, the end tailing off at the bridge of her heels, the already tall blonde raised another modest three inches in her dress heels. Blake realized how come Yang was taking longer than usual as her hair was mostly tamed, the Faunus wondering how many brush strokes she had to run through the mane to get it to have more gentle waves. She was impressed by the minimalism for the makeup, Yang only wearing light pink gloss, highlighting the striking dress hugging her bountiful curves.

"Wow. You're looking great," Blake charming her lover. "Next year I expect you to try and iron out your hair."

"I'd need about a day and a half preparation so I'm glad you're telling me now. You like it a little brushed out?" the blonde asked, running her arm through the length, flattered by the praise.

"It's a very sophisticated look compared to the usual disheveled nature. Don't worry, I prefer classic Yang still." Blake extended her arm out, Yang snaking hers around her to keep the Faunus close.

"Thanks. Well, it seems you're all dressed up so your gift is going to have to wait."

"I'm halfway expecting that your gift has something to do with the bedroom by that hint."

"No. I put a little more thought into this than how sexy you would look in it. It'll just have to wait. Hopefully you drank enough water so your taste buds return from the dead. I'm not about to drop two hundred Lien for an entree that tastes like packing peanuts," Yang playfully said, Blake excited to see the rest of the day through.

An airship and a short cab ride had them in the ritzier side of town, the couple having to maneuver around the crowd during the busy nightlife. The restaurant was tucked in the back corner of a street, the place invisible if not for the massive neon sign structured at the entrance. The hostess, garbed in a black mini dress, led them through a tunnel and upon exiting to a roaring bottom floor of the restaurant. A large, red neon chandelier was hanging in the middle, basking the room in a healthy glow that the atmosphere benefited with small, oiled candles in the center.

They were led upstairs, the second floor less clamorous and had a completely different vibe with healthy, white lighting that was dim enough to set the romantic mood. As they took their seats, the hostess unfolded their napkins and placed them on their laps, Blake feeling uneasy as she was not used to servitude. Having seen some of her fellow Faunus do such menial tasks for near nothing had her find this part distasteful, but that would be the only thing unsavory as the food was divine.

Blake ordered a forty ounce bone-in porterhouse for two, Yang happily complementing the meal with a few grilled lobster tails. Mid feeding herself another appetizing bite from the steak, the blonde spoke up from the quiet feasting. "See, I told you birthdays weren't so bad. You've been smiling all day."

The Faunus took a moment to reflect, noticing her cheeks were hurting when her girlfriend pointed it out. Deep down, Blake knew that birthdays weren't to be feared, but had been content with not celebrating it this year or ever because of what happened in The White Fang. Yang took the effort to perhaps, not just show her a good time, but to prove that point. With the opening on the table, Blake took to keep to her words. "No Yang. You're right. I knew you were always right, but the idea of celebrating a birthday lost its meaning when The White Fang changed."

The blonde dropped her steak knife at the abrupt mention of the militia, quickly trying to dismiss the fluke as she returned calm and keeping the aura normal as she inquired. "What did they do? Give you a bunch of punches for how old you were?"

Blake felt the nervousness in Yang's voice in the light jest, the Faunus appreciating the levity and continued with her stay in The White Fang. "In the beginning, the organization was large, but small enough to make you feel like you were a part of an extremely large extended family. That closeness was always shown daily from the birthday announcements. Whether it was over e-mail or over the intercom at a headquarters, you were recognized. We were all about something much greater, but the birthdays were a reminder that we're all individuals too and to not become this hive mind that follows the guidance of one, but work together as a whole. It was when the leaders started changing that the tactics being more aggressive, is when that individuality was lost, and it became about a choice few. It still haunts me that at some point I had to cheer for Roman as it was his birthday. But it was the foot soldiers, the common Faunus, that were now in the background. Forget about gifts, we were lucky if we got a simple congratulations from an old ally you worked with a year ago. I remember a couple years ago, I was sitting at a bench, reading to distract myself as yet another birthday was passing and took to being a recluse. It was then I see a cupcake in my peripheral vision, a lit candle in the middle, a little wax running its way down to the purple frosting. Needless to say, it caught my attention, and I look up and Adam was there. He was the only one that ever remembered, keeping that peppy spirit alive until we went our separate ways."

The Faunus didn't know how long she droned on, but could tell the shift in the mood as the air felt constricted as she mentioned Adam. She glanced up to Yang, violet eyes a mixture of anguish and concern as Blake had stopped speaking, the Faunus retracting what she said. "I'm sorry for bringing him up. It won't happen again."

"I was sort of hoping you'd continue. You mentioning him is quite rare. Was always sort of curious about that part of your past," Yang admitted, attention shifting back to the steak, Blake not wanting to leave the reason why ambiguous as she replied.

"It's because I did a lot of things I'm not proud of, a lot of things that could alter your thinking of me. I know I've disclosed a few, but I always liked how tangential we were about talking about exes. I'll admit that you having a few more than me is part of the reason, but if anything, it was an excuse so I didn't have to talk about Adam. He was both the best and worst experience I'll take from The White Fang. Yang... I know I run away from talking about the past, but I'd like to be more open. A lot of it I regret, but you haven't given me a reason not to trust you this far into our relationship. Adam, though... if it's alright with you... he may be the last part I'll be ready to talk about."

Blake felt the warm, calloused hand of her lover reach over, grasping hers as she spoke. "Blake, there's a reason I never pressured you to ever talk about this and it's because we are this far into our relationship. I relish in the present and you are still trying to catch up to yours," Yang's calmly conveyed, the Faunus raising her head to meet the blonde's tender smile. "You spend a lot of time trying to process the past and there is no shame at figuring it out at your own pace. It is because I came to terms with my mom leaving me is why I'm able to talk about it so freely. One day, I'll have an answer to that, just like one day you'll have the resolution to yours. Don't think that you owe me some obligation because I'm more open about personal subjects. Take your time, Blake. I'll be there when you're ready."

The Faunus felt ridiculous as Yang finished speaking, feeling she should have known better that the blonde would have a more perceptive logic of not prodding into the past other than not wanting to provoke her. Blake flipped her hand and grasped Yang's, her unpleasantness dissolving as the gentle violet irises flickered against the small flame. With the conversation taking that dip, and the blonde successfully salvaging it before the mood was sunk, Blake took the initiative. Her free hand took a fork, steak at the other end and fed the morsel to Yang, the blonde heartily chopping down at the bit. Yang's switch flipped to the kittenish behavior, dipping her last bite of her lobster tail into the warm garlic butter dip. With Blake feeling frisky, she devoured the bit, wrapping her tongue to clean her girlfriend's fingers of the juices.

The meal continued with the flirtatious nature, the waiter almost catching Yang's foot halfway up the black dress' slit when he came back with the check. Blake would normally fight to pay, but she knew she was to be treated today. The two left the restaurant arm-in arm, the Faunus wanted to simply window shop, but also build the anticipation for whatever Yang had in store for birthday sex. She could tell her partner was jumping at the heels to hail a cab, make out in the back and rip her out of that dress, but Blake liked playing hard to get, making it all the more satisfying when she made the first move.

The couple made their way to a slightly less wealthy part of town, Blake hoping she would get to her favorite bookstore for a small coffee. Before the Faunus could make it to her destination, Yang popped into a coffee shop to use the restroom, the woman grumbling at the policy of the restroom is for customers only as she stood in an agonizingly long line. Blake would have stood beside her, but the night air was pleasant, the cracked moon in full phase as it illuminated the sparely lit streets well, the Faunus feeling guilty that they were at the restaurant well past closing as her and Yang were having a good time. "_At least she tipped well... Well, I hope she did. She just threw a bunch of Lien credits into the folder and closed it. I'd be impressed if it was the first date, but I hope it was over gratuitous. We were certainly being loud and obnoxious when the rest of the patrons left. It's fine I guess, to revel in the present like she said. Maybe she does have a point. It's why she seems more cheerful and I come off pessimistic. The times, although tumultuous on occasion, are better than they've ever been for me. I'm excelling at the best huntsman training academy in Remnant, have loving friends who care, and a girlfriend that's crazy about me. In good time, maybe I'll..._"

Blake's thoughts were interrupted as she saw two suspicious characters on the rooftops. A small red light waved off into the distance. Before long, a couple of black, tinted semi-trucks made their way to a dust shop across the street. The Faunus knew what was happening behind closed doors if The White Fang was behind any of the mischief. Blake stalked across the street, making sure to cling to the shadows as she was trying to stealth her way to a back entrance. Her ears picked up on voices muffled beneath the bow, but could tell it was a friendly exchange by the tones. One gravely frequency came familiar to her, Blake inching her way around the corner of the building, her jaw slacking as she saw the red-haired Faunus, horns glinting in the soft moonlight.

"Adam," she breathed out, wide eyed as she observed him dealing in the back of the alley, the monochrome henchmen of The White Fang prospecting the dust wears out of the store. It didn't seem like a heist, but an arrangement. Blake examined the store owner, a taller slender man, but his body language was on the defensive with his lowered gaze and his back up against a wall. The Faunus habitually reached for Gambol Shroud, forgetting the she was in a formal dress. Blake gripped the brick wall as she saw the transaction take place, hating herself that she more wanted to talk to Adam rather than thwart a White Fang operation.

"What's going on here?" a voice came from behind her, Blake almost jumping out of her gown at Yang's sudden entrance.

"Hush," Blake silencing her girlfriend. "Keep your voice and presence low. There's White Fang dealings going on down the way."

The blonde caught onto the serious nature, nodding her head as she followed Blake's movements and observed from afar. The couple took caution, Blake reminding her partner that Faunus have excellent sight in the dark, making her blonde mane an easy giveaway to the pitch background. The Faunus was undertaking a task she was unprepared for as her impromptu stakeout became about stalking her ex. Blake aimed to gather as much information as she could, but was falling off target as her focus always strayed toward Adam. His red hair was burning bright in the lush night, the Faunus reminded of his tenacious physique under his coat, his blade hardly concealed as he wore it at his side. Blake wanted to see his face, but The White Fang mask he almost refused to take off was still plastered on him.

"It looks like the spiky-haired one is the leader," Yang whispered, Blake concurring, wondering how high in the ranks Adam was now that he seems to be pulling off heists without force. She could see massive boxes sporting the Atlas military emblem on it, Atlesian Paladins judging by the size, the Faunus floored that this was the massive acquisition Adam was in charge of.

"Yeah... Adam seems to be doing well for himself," Blake unwittingly confessed, the blonde yanking the Faunus back, pinning her against the wall.

"Wait a minute," she said as silent as she could. "You mean that guy is _that_ Adam." Blake kicked herself for letting that slip, finding her mouth dry as she was paralyzing with both seeing him again and the fire behind Yang's glare. Either way, the Faunus acknowledged the blonde's accusation, Yang taking a deep breath and returning to surveying the scene. "Take off your heels. It looks like they're about to get going."

"Wait... What?"

"We don't get a chance like this very often. If we have an opportunity to get a one-up on The White Fang, I say we take it, even if it's in our dresses that cost three hundred Lien," Yang ordered, Blake snapping back to reality and remembered the enemy was showing a weak point at the moment. Her feet hit the cold concrete, but ignored the discomfort, and Yang and her took to the rooftops. Blake took a note of the dust store, the warehouse next door most likely a storage from the Atlesian Paladins until they could be securely carried away on a quiet night like tonight.

"_Seems like some things never change... just like him._" Blake's bleak thoughts having her fall behind her brawler as she was leading the pursuit, the Faunus simply seeing Adam at a distance was throwing a monkey wrench in her tactics. Luckily for her, the transport was sufficiently slowed down by the massive loads they were towing, but it also was eating away into the night, the trucks covering miles to the bare limits of the industrial area. Yang and Blake stood at a nearby edifice, the construction on the structure being great cover as they were undetected overseeing one of the many White Fang outposts.

"I'm marking the coordinates on the scroll. I can't believe their influence has sunk their way into businesses that act as a camouflage to the city," Yang commented.

"Yeah. It's unfortunately come a long way. Even with our interference, it doesn't seemed to have deterred them enough to hold power in businesses they probably strangled to keep their presence low-key," Blake concurred, the woman trying to stay professional as she knew half of the time she was looking at Adam, his red hair making him an easy figure to spot in the foreground. "Yang... I hate to pull the 'It's my birthday card', but can we head back now? I think we got as much as we can gather without a proper infiltration."

The blonde fulfilled her girlfriend's wish, packing her scroll into her bra, and the couple swiftly made their way back to a safer district of Vale before hailing a cab. The ride back to the airship was quiet, Blake still shaken at seeing Adam again and pivoted herself towards the window as she pondering what deeds he could have done to get him to that high of rank. "_I remember our last mission like it was yesterday, That stark realization that this was no longer a small change in tactics, but an assembly for an assault on the world. We weren't just defending ourselves, we were arming ourselves and that was a batch of robots. Those Palidans were no easy items to acquire, The White Fang not giving an assignment like that to some rookie, but to someone they could trust, someone who is capable to get the job done by any means... someone like I used to be._"

Before Blake knew it, she was standing on the airship, not realizing she had been muted for such a length of time until she heard Yang's attempt to clear the air. "So Adam... he's... he's handsome even with that Grimm mask covering his his face." A weak smile took shape on her, the Faunus tired of running from the issue, taking a leap to let Yang in more, the issue now pushed to the forefront. "I'm sorry... that was tasteless."

"No, Yang, you're right. He was handsome, but that was not the reason I dated him," Blake divulged, the blonde mollifying herself as the Faunus continued. "When I first started out, there was plenty of Faunus leaders to look up to in the organization, all of them with their own ideals and civil rights that geared well with the peaceful tactics that we stood for. When The White Fang shifted, those ideals were either meshing with the new violent ones to justify the new tactics like myself or they were corrupted altogether, the latter happening to Adam eventually. He was a kind soul, always aiding others in the organization where he could. If there was anyone who carried to former leaders' spirit, it was him, which is why I always followed him around as my mentor. I hate saying this now, but it's easy to get lost between the glossy eyes of admiration and love, his couple years more of wisdom making him all the more appealing. But he grew impatient. Having that extra experience also gave him a time line of change and it wasn't happening fast enough for him, and that's when he debased himself to Roman's rational."

The two departed the airship, making their way slowly to the dorm. "Because we were so close, I blindly followed him, not questioning why were now robbing and hurting people, but trusting he was not to lead me astray. It wasn't until he ordered me to kill someone and I was holding Gambol Shroud to their throat did I start to sense the gravity of my actions, now seeing the moral gray area as I stepped from the black. Once that illusion of righteousness was broken, my loyalty waned and snowballed to our last mission together where I said goodbye and vowed to never see him again. Deep down... I knew that was an impossible promise to keep if I were to be a huntress and take The White Fang on. Call me stupid or optimistic, but I was hoping that when I left, he'd leave too. Not necessarily with me, but it would click for him and maybe go be a student at Signal or even be a store owner, making an honest living. It's why I sort of shut down earlier. Pulling an operation of that scale only means he committed worse than what we used to do, having Roman and other higher-ups to take notice. That man that I once loved is gone, consumed by the hate that almost overwhelmed me."

The sound of heels against stone echoed through Blake's mind, not blaming Yang if this is where her footsteps increased in haste in the other direction. The sound was deafening to the point where the Faunus wanted to comment about the architecture to the castle. "This is the part where I say something to make your fears not intimidating, that there is some silver lining to this situation. But I'll be frank with you, Blake, you got me on this one." The Faunus raised her head, Yang still directed ahead as she explained. "I've never been in your situation, nor come to anything familiar with someone from my past. I'm not going to tell you what you should do or how I would handle it. But what I can do is promise to make this situation better. For starters, I'm not letting your birthday get any worse."

Yang tugged on Blake's arm, forcing her to stare deep in her violet orbs. "This I didn't anticipate when you said there would be problems with dealing with Faunus, but this doesn't change anything. I think I'd be a pretty worthless girlfriend if this was the reason why I left after what we've already been through." Yang's hands flowed down from Blake's arms, her caressing sending double the warmth the Faunus was already feeling from her affectionate gaze. "I'm not going to let him hurt you anymore."

Blake felt a lump in her throat, unable to tell how wrong Yang was when she said there wasn't anything she could say that would restore her faith in a situation so grim. She wanted to impart how much of what her girlfriend said meant to her, but a barely squeaked out "I love you" sufficed the blonde.

"I know. Now, come on. You still have to unwrap my gift." Yang lead Blake back to the dorm. As they passed through the stilled halls, it seemed the party was over, the Faunus hearing some light snoring from team JNPR's room as they entered theirs. Blake sat on their bed, happy to get out of her heels and relax on her fleecy sheets. As she was enjoying the fluffy spread, she felt a thud on her stomach, Yang tossing her gift as she took a seat next to her.

With Blake's enhanced vision at night, it was clear as to what her partner bought, Blake vexed that she would stoop so low with the zip-locked bag of stereotypes. "Yang, how many times have I told you that catnip doesn't have an effect on me?"

"Probably a thousand, making this one thousand and one," she quipped back. "Your gift is inside. Don't worry. I cleaned it out thoroughly before so it 'wouldn't effect you," Yang pressed again. Blake didn't like to admit, but taking a whiff did give her a jolt of energy, but it wasn't as the blonde was exaggerating.

Blake popped the zip-lock bag, glad that her girlfriend kept her promise. She reached inside to reveal a collar scarf, one side black with her emblem and flip-side yellow with Yang's. "Yang... this is really beautiful and soft. What is this made out of?"

"Pure silk. Both rare and expensive, but I wanted something that would last a decent amount of time so I didn't have to buy one next year."

"So this is why you were disappointed earlier."

"Yeah. I wanted you to try it on, but I was insane to think brushing my hair out wouldn't take the better part of an hour," Yang laughed out. "I hate bogarting one of my sister's ideas, but hers was cute with the necklace idea. That was her and Weiss' turning point. With us moving in together, I figured it appropriate with this being our turning point into a relationship more serious than any previous."

Blake hadn't thought about it with Adam buried so far in her conscious. She technically was together with him longer, but the relationship felt perfunctory compared to what Yang and her had built over the past year. The love was securer, the sex was purer, and their purposes for being huntresses were slowly interweaving that she could see herself with Yang in Atlas blowing a White Fang airship out of the sky. The Faunus held the scarf in her hand as she kissed Yang's cheek "You were right. This did have a lot of thought put into it. Does this have to mean I have to get a sister scarf for you?"

"Blake, that would be nice, because..." Yang taking a generous glob of saliva on her fingers, proceeding to rub vigorously on her neck, revealing a purplish, black mark that the blonde concealed. "You let people know I'm yours every time we go at it. I pad on extra the times you're too rough with the gauntlets."

The Faunus burst into laughter, colliding with the blonde as she cajoled with her, the two losing control as they were forced to the bed. As they collected themselves, the blonde snuggled closer to her Faunus, Blake keeping the distance so she could play with her lover's hair, fingers circling her cheeks as she played with Yang in the pale-bathed room, the moon scantily spread light source accenting the flat. As expected, she felt her lover's hand brush past the slit in her skirt, fingers curing around the elastic of her underwear before Blake stopped her. "I'm smitten, Yang, like you'll ever know, but with everything that's happened, mind if we take a rain check on the birthday sex?"

Yang let out a deep sigh, digits complying and relinquishing the garment. "I figured as much. I just had to know what you were wearing. It's that little black thong I like, isn't it?" Blake nodded her head, flushing that the blonde took such attention to her appearance. "And I bet the lacy bra is under there as well. Is it... is it too quick to say I hate him?"

Blake snickered, dispelling the blonde's jaunty worry, rest assuring her that her opinions, good or bad, are valid and won't be used against her. Before they hit the tipping point of too lethargic to get off the bed, Blake pulled her girlfriend up, stripping each other of their dresses and slept in the nude, the Faunus at least giving into that desire to keep the spirit of birthday sex alive. As she felt the blonde doze off, Blake took her hand and clasped it near her heart, Blake wrong in her assumptions as Yang squeezed back, cuddling closer as she nestled herself into the Faunus' mane, giving a soft kiss on the back of her cat ear. "_Live in this moment. Remember every word spoken, loving gesture, and event because I'm going to have to be reminded how good the present is when it turns on itself._"


	28. Weiss: Dyed in the Wool

Comic Con is a very special place where anything can happen and I can't believe it's gone for another year. I left my heart in San Deigo and distributed to my many loves. But have enough to be alive an update. So these chapters coming should be a lot more streamlined. The usual format this time. Some little White Rose love and how appropriate because a new White Rose pic will be up very soon so check Bakki on dArt. Always thank you for reading and following the story.

Weiss: Dyed in the Wool

The alarm had woken Weiss up what seemed like an eternity ago as she was drifting intermittently out of sleep, her brain desperately trying to get back into slumber. However, the other half of team RWBY were taking advantage of the exhausted woman, Blake and Yang taking their turns in the shower, the white noise of the water putting her to sleep only for the grunts and shifting movements of her girlfriend keeping her awake. Not even having the energy to grumble her annoyance, she tightened her grip around her, hoping to keep her still.

As the heiress was about to accept defeat, the blankets in their tent bunk popped open, Weiss regretting opening an eye as she met Yang with a look of disapproval on her face. "The privacy tent was put up in hopes that you and Blake would have the courtesy to never peep in," she hissed out, Yang not taking to the comment well and snapped back.

"I'm being a good teammate and telling you that class starts in thirty, and I was being a good sister making sure Ruby wouldn't carelessly be missing class to spend a day in bed with you. From the looks of it, she's completely gone," Yang commented, the heiress having to take a peek herself, Weiss jealous of Ruby who looked as if she were in a coma, a small stain pooling on the pillow, vexing the ice princess as she knew it was her turn to clean the sheets.

"I'll get up. Ruby," she raised her voice as she pressed on the leader's shoulder, groaning at the shrill voice so early in the morning. "I know. Just... just get up." Weiss said as she slid her way out of the opposite side of the bed, her body still recovering from the mission yesterday, bones creaking and sore in spots she didn't know existed as she was using all her efforts to stand.

Yang met her in the middle. "Thank you for not fighting me."

"I don't have the anything to be fighting with at the moment. Not after yesterday," Weiss harshly spoke, Yang putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder as she supported the wobbly woman.

"I know what you're thinking because I was thinking it too. Let this one go and we call it a bad day for all of us. I don't want you to be pointing fingers at her."

"But..." Weiss piped up, Yang miming the sign for her to shut her mouth as Ruby was in earshot.

"Be nice. I'm going to catch up with Blake and I'd really like to not have to have drama explode while me and her are gone. Civil is your word of the day and keep to it," Yang firmly scolded as she peppered it with some light slaps on her cheek before leaving. "The painkillers are in my desk drawer. Take them with food and you and her should be fine for the next eight hours."

With the sound of the door shutting, Weiss found it was hard to not keep her promise as she went to get dressed. The heiress wrapped her hair in a bun and shower capped it to save her all the minutes she could as she was getting ready. The warm water hit the right spots as she massaged her bruises, the cuts mostly healed over stung for the few seconds as soap hit them, but the anger wasn't subsiding. "_It's not her fault. It's not her fault. It's not her fault... Forget what Yang said. It's at least partially her fault. That security blanket she calls a cloak is what almost cost us fulfilling the mission and if I hadn't reacted quick enough she could've seriously been injured. Instead, we both sustained minor injuries, but it could've all been avoided if she wasn't wearing that stupid cloak._"

Weiss turned off the water, did the best she could in terms of looking professional and was getting ready to sling on her school uniform as she saw the mass of girlfriend still underneath the sheets. With the heiress already at boiling point, she didn't hesitate as she went over to the bed. "Ruby, I'm not about to tell you again. Get ready for class."

The leader winced at the volume of her partner's voice. She voiced her concern whilst pulling a sheet over her head. "Give me five more minutes."

Weiss wasn't going to be resisted today. "We don't have time for this," she said as she was buttoning her blouse."I'm about to roll you out of bed."

Ruby mumbled beneath the sheets her negatory response. The heiress was not tolerating her leader's games today. She grabbed the top sheet and ripped the top half away with a quick flick, exposing Ruby. As Weiss was about to raise her voice, she saw her girlfriend in the fetal position, a bruise on her arm and a cut deep enough to possibly scar over revealed by her tousled tank top had the heiress feel her own injuries run deeper in the tissue. Weiss felt sympathy run through her as she gathered that Ruby may not be trying to act cute. "_She did... she did take more of that Ursa's hit than I did. I got the burnt of the paw, but she also got clipped by a couple of claws. Share the blame as Yang said. She was over exerting herself to appease me because I was making such a big deal out of getting the first mission perfect to set a precedence for the new year. I'm sure after running on empty in the outskirts of Vale for almost a week may have had her awareness down long enough that the Ursa pinned her to the ground by her cloak, giving the other, which I may have neglected earlier, to get a slice at her. If I really think about it, I could have been faster, maybe concentrate harder, and create a barrier of ice between them after accelerating myself with yellow dust. Not just simply slash one and ignore the fact there was a den of them and assume the blasts from Yang were taking care of all of them._"

Weiss didn't dress past her blouse, the woman choosing to join Ruby to soothe their wounds and her spirit as the leader got marked down for letting a teammate take an injury. The heiress took the sheets and got underneath them, enfolding herself to Ruby's back, the leader squirming as Weiss' hands touched her injuries, the ice princess adjusting herself to assuage her lover. Weiss was taken aback at how fast she dozed off with her leader.

Still, her mental alarm went off and she awoke a few minutes later. Weiss reached for her scroll reading halfway through an Oobleck lecture. She sighed, but she wasn't mad, just wondering where Ruby went as she sat up in the bed. With the bathroom door open and the only room left empty, the heiress guessed she went to go grab food. As she was sending a text, the leader crept in through the door, a plate of omelets and a couple cups of coffee being juggled as she entered. Weiss helped her girlfriend, taking the drinks and setting them on the bookcase adjacent.

"Thanks Weiss," Ruby quietly said, the heiress feeling tension in her tone. She took a sip of her coffee, two spoonfuls of sugar and a splash of milk to her liking. "Sorry for not getting up early like usual. I couldn't bring myself to get out of bed, and I figured you'd give up at some point and leave without me."

"Normally I would have, but instead of dragging you with me, I decided to stay. It looks like that extra forty minutes did you some good."

"It did. After we finish these, you can get dressed and we can head to the next lecture," Ruby offered, her offer transparent as her natural vivacity wasn't present, Weiss not feeling the need to discipline her leader more with her drained expression. Class, although entertaining, the heiress knew would be worthless going to if Ruby wasn't going to engaged in the lecture.

"Ruby," Weiss tepidly asked, prepared for her offer to be shot down. "Want to ditch class today and go do something fun?" The leader directed her attention from her meal to the heiress, perplexed at the proposal. Ruby placed her hand over Weiss' forehead, the tables turned as she asked the question, "what are you doing?"

"Making sure you aren't sick because I'm pretty sure you suggested we be irresponsible. You're normal by the way," a twang of exuberance showing with her joke.

"I can be spontaneous too, but if you're going to react that way, we'll go back to dragging you to Oobleck's lecture hall," Weiss countered, Ruby not flinching as she sheepishly accepted the heiress' offer.

"Yeah. Sounds good," Ruby replied, Weiss happy with the response because she also wasn't looking forward to class anymore. A quick change into their battle skirts, and the two walked onto the airship and strolled Vale, the heiress keeping the route as metropolitan as possible to keep both of them from being reminded of how the forest defeated them. Weiss was contented with her decision as the last of the summer weather was fading, the cool breezes of the ocean air mixing well with the warm day. Her tolerance to cold was partisan, Ruby wrapping herself tight in her cloak as she walked closer with the heiress.

Weiss had no destination in mind when she came out and she didn't think the leader did either, until she figured out where Ruby was unconsciously taking them. The heiress had to restrain herself from smacking her face as she stood in front of the new dessert cafe that recently opened, a place she knew Ruby had frequented enough that the staff knew both her name and usual order. The leader instead decided to switch it up from the normal freshly baked organic cookie box. Weiss took the bill as she figured Ruby has already given the rent payment to this place in the past month of school.

The heiress was thoroughly enjoying her sticky toffee pudding, happy that she went with hot cocoa to compliment it. Weiss noticed, again, her girlfriend enthusiastically digging into her chocolate molten cake, a sliver of the warm, fudgy center on the corner of her mouth, the heiress reaching over with her napkin and wiping her lips clean. "You can just warn me I have something on my mouth. It's a shame to waste even a drop of this."

"Then eat slower. I know you're a dolt, but I'm not going to let others think of you as such. I know how much you're enjoying your cake, but want a taste of my pudding," Weiss volunteered, Ruby happily accepting as she leaned in. The heiress took a healthy serving and fed her girlfriend, the expression of awe as the short-haired girl ate her portion was worth the embarrassment of the childish gesture.

"Oh my gosh, that is good. I almost regret ordering this. You want a bite?"

"No thank you." Weiss hating that she was that precise with certain foods when she's eating. As Ruby was about to dig back in, her scroll vibrated on the table, the leader quickly checking the text.

"I text Yang telling her where we were and she said she wanted an order of doughnut holes. I guess that's what I get for being responsible while being irresponsible," Ruby lamented. Weiss also got a text as the leader was talking, the message reading '_You did a really good thing getting Ruby out of the bed. I was worried about her. Also, doughnut holes._' A litany of smiley-faced emoticons following the heartfelt note.

"She said she paid extra attention in class to get proper notes down for us and told us to relax," Ruby added, Weiss not feeling the same relief as her partner as Yang's handwriting could be considered scribbles of a madman.

"So long as that's true, then I hope I did my part about getting your mind off of things."

"You did. I know we're adults and can technically never attend class except for exams, but, I don't know, it was sort of fun to be rebellious and do our own thing."

"I'm not making this a habit so don't get too let down if next time I roll you into Oobleck's class in your pajamas. Today, I think we needed an extra day of the weekend."

"Yeah... I know I sure did," Ruby lowly uttered, the leader gazing out to the city outside as she gripped the end of her cloak. Weiss looked at the reflection in the window, her face almost translucent in the image, but the heiress could see the troubled eyes not wanting to lock with hers as Ruby was transported back to yesterday. The ice princess didn't know what to do next, feeling that any sentiment she could say wouldn't matter as the leader was shouldering the responsibility for all of them, including their barely passing marks. With Ruby's fingers nervously fiddling around with the edges of her cloak, she knew she had to figure out something to ease her girlfriend's pain.

Weiss couldn't find any words to comfort before she let out a small, "hey," the voice low, but still was able to get Ruby to turn her head towards the ice princess, big gray eyes brewing a storm in her mind with her disheartened appearance. "It happens to the best of us. No one blames you for what happened."

"I know, but I don't know how to fix this. I've never been in this kind of position before," Ruby confided, Weiss relieved that she was open about talking about the mission.

"We all were having a bad day. We lost half the food mid-week by complete fluke. As much as we learn in a classroom, textbooks can't warn you of every precautionary detail, especially when it's because we were ambushed by a Deathstalker. The most can learn from this is keep the food in a higher location and we train harder, plan better, and ace it the next time." Weiss spoke from the heart instead of formulating a speech for once.

"How does that fix this, though?" Ruby meekly asked, bringing up the trim of her cloak, the place where the Ursa pinned her leaving a large rip in the fabric that tarnished the garment. It took more than a second for Weiss to realize what the leader was inclining to. The heiress was in quiet denial as she was tackling the miscommunication at hand, not wanting to believe that the reason Ruby was so morose this morning was not for anything higher than the cloak she carries around everywhere. She remembered back to Yang's word of the day, finding it near impossible not to blow up in the shop as she undertook the task to be civil.

"Are you serious? The reason I couldn't get you out of bed this morning is because your cloak got torn?" Weiss chipped through gritted teeth, the leader on the defensive as she saw the fire burning behind the crystal blue eyes.

"Well-well yeah. Me and this cloak go a long ways back and this is the first serious repair that I would've had to do to it. Even while walking around, I can see the treading working their way further up the cloak." Ruby brought the majority of the clothing onto the table. Weiss saw the focal point of where the Ursa had snatched her, the tear running the better half of a yard. Still, the heiress was finding it hard to believe that this was more important then everything else that went awry.

"I was hurt," Weiss showing the bruise along her side as she slid off her jacket. "You don't feel bad about that?" the heiress challenged her.

"Of course I do, Weiss, but you really should have put up some barrier with your weapon. I got hurt too, but we were all very fatigued. I wasn't reacting up to par either as I should have blasted its head off and guarded with my scythe. I'm surprised Yang and Blake were fine with how the rest of the mission went," Ruby explained, Weiss enraged that her own benevolent excuse was being used against her. The heiress got up, went to the counter, basically throwing Lien credits for the doughnut holes as she knew some gift would be in favor if she does bring the drama back to the dorm.

Ruby tread lightly behind the ice princess, Weiss giving a frozen shoulder as she was making her strides long enough that Ruby would have to have the audacity to use her semblance to stop her. As Weiss was getting used to the silence, she heard Ruby's voice calling out to her. "I know I wasn't thinking when I said that this cloak was the real reason. It still is, but that doesn't mean that realistically you don't mean the world to me."

The emotional plea behind the thought had Weiss slow her pace, giving Ruby her chance as she was courageously doing so in public, weaving in and out of the people. "Hearing it back, I know why you're mad and I don't blame you. The only reason that I would've said what I said is because I don't blame anyone for the mission. We had a snowball effect of bad luck since the food was trampled on. Also, we're huntresses. It would be bizarre if none of us got hurt on occasion. Yesterday was that occasion and we didn't sustain anything life-threatening. We're bruised and banged up, but we're fine aside from our pride taking a blow with that average grade. Even I think the gash on my back should heal without scarring."

Weiss' mind flashed to this morning, knowing the leader was being optimistic about the laceration, the heiress guessing there was a good chance it would blemish her beautiful skin. She remembered where she was going to, Yang words ringing as she knew the leader wasn't in the wrong and, if anything, took the blame entirely on herself. The ice princess slowed down, Ruby catching up quick, giving Weiss her in to wrap her arm around the taller girl's waist. "I'll admit that another part of why I was mad is because I was vain, thinking that I was aiding you from something noble like feeling bad about getting me hurt or keeping the blame all to yourself. You know, things that would afflict any normal leader," Weiss pressed the issue one last time before stating her resolution. "But you're not normal. I should have figured that out at this point."

"Is this the part where I'm supposed to say 'thank you' because I'm confused between the small insults?"

"In between those insults are compliments, I assure you. I'm still a little peeved, but you said everything I was thinking earlier. I'm also really appreciative you took majority of the hit. Not very many people would do that for me without some monetary gain. I do want to congratulate you on one thing."

"What's that?" the leader asked.

"You successfully navigated that fight because, believe me, I was going to kick you to the upper bunk bed. You understood how I was feeling almost immediately and that kind of insight deserves rewarding. Here's yours." Weiss handed off the box of doughnut holes. "I was going to use this as a token for your sister as she was not in the mood to deal with one of our lover's quarrels. Seeing how you effectively patched this up, I'll let you have the glory."

Ruby popped open the box, taking a couple of the sugary treats for them to share. "Thanks Weiss. Now all that's left is to patch this up," the leader tugging at her cloak, Weiss pulling the red cloth over her shoulder.

"It can't be too hard considering poor Faunus children hands bleed to mend mine." Ruby forced a laugh at the crass joke, but Weiss reassured it was never her choice when it came to menial matters around the household. The heiress walked back with her girlfriend, for once proud that she listened to the blonde and heeded the advice, Yang letting her discover this awareness on her own.

* * *

><p>Weiss woke up the next morning, refreshed and ready to tackle on the day in proper this time. After her shower, she examined herself in the mirror,shifting her length of hair to the side as she examined the bruises, pleased that her aura was clearing them up nicely, the heiress dreading another blemish to scar her complexion. After fixing the bow to her uniform, she stepped out of the bathroom, Blake and Yang jumping in next as Ruby graciously let them use it. Weiss was surprised that Ruby didn't join her until she saw something so senseless that it left her speechless. The ice princess witnessed her leader tearing another piece of duct tape with her teeth, applying another layer to her cursory attempt at fixing her cloak. Weiss wanted to scold Ruby, not knowing how she skipped over the obvious attempt at sewing before using duct tape, but a flash of inspiration hit her. The heiress had grown to like the cloak, it being an easy giveaway to where her girlfriend was and a quirky reminder of her character. However, she could do without the smells of Ruby not washing it enough, the fading color and fabric that had lost its luster, Weiss wondering if it does protect Ruby from the elements anymore. As Ruby departed to the bathroom, she went into action.<p>

*-Ruby-*

The leader was taking care of herself, the injury on her back still stinging as the soap and hot water ran over it. She had to calm her mind, reminding herself that she didn't need to get stitches when they came back. Still, she felt goosebumps and a chill run through her as she had a closer examination in the mirror, feeling the coagulated blood of the scab as she ran a finger down it. "_I'll be fine, but seeing how easily it tore into me makes me think the casual clothing we wear might not be as smart as Jaune or Pyrrha's armor. My poor cloak didn't stand a chance._"

Ruby exited the bathroom, glad to have the room to her herself as she got ready. She hastily put on her underwear to not get caught with nothing on, but frantically was searching the room as she was looking for the final piece to her ensemble. "_Where's my cloak?_"

Ruby panicked, knowing she left it at the edge of her bunk before she went to bed, but took to raiding her team's dresser drawers and shifting its contents to the floor as she had a new objective to find her precious cloak. Her partner came in unannounced, Ruby elbow deep into Weiss' underwear when the heiress came in. "Ruby, what do you think you're doing?"

The leader ignored the wrath in the ice princess' voice, grabbing her by her blouse's collar. "Where's my cloak?"

"You need to calm down. It's in the wash. Look, the bed's comforter is missing as well," Weiss censured, Ruby looking behind her to see what the heiress told was true. "I wasn't going to say anything yesterday, but your cloak was foul. Considering it's my time to wash, I double loaded it along with the comforter."

Having the mystery solved wasn't as reassuring as she was hoping. "But the tear..."

"Is taken care of. I put it on delicate and took every precaution to make sure it wouldn't get worse," Weiss calmly explained, Ruby wishing she was alerted before she went crazy about it. "Now come on, we better eat breakfast as lectures run a little longer today. I'll check the laundry in the middle of Port's class if you really want it back that badly."

Ruby politely declined, taking a breath to center herself as she left without her cloak. Throughout the day she felt incomplete, naked even, without it. It was peculiar to her that she wore it so often that it was unconscious to her as it would whip in the wind. Now, without it, she was conscious of it not being there, feeling a phantom pain as she could still feel the weight of it walking through the halls. She wanted to run with Weiss to the laundry, but after yesterday, was so proud that she was praised so maturely that she didn't immediately want to corrupt the image within twenty-four hours because she wanted her cloak like a child wants their blanket.

"_I want to tell Weiss about the importance to that cloak, but it feels juvenile to be caring about something that I've had since I was a baby. Her necklace she received from her grandfather when she was fifteen. It's not as much of a stretch considering his death was more recent. If anything, I have been wanting to change up my appearance, the cloak making me looking like a kid playing superhero with a cape flowing behind me at all times. I was thinking of maybe copying Yang with a scarf one day. She always seems to look more adult considering her age_."

Ruby noticed Weiss' absence at dinner, which was to her benefit. She didn't have her questioning when she left early with her meal half eaten, Ruby hoping that her cloak was on the bedspread, ready for her to slip in to. Upon entering the room, she witnessed Weiss with her cloak in her hands, but it didn't look right, Ruby not able to put her finger on it until the heiress presented it in full view. The tear disappeared, but also the rest of her cloak.

"I was expecting you a tad later, but take a look," Weiss exclaimed, Ruby stunned at what was being bestowed.

"Umm, Weiss... that's not my cloak."

"I know. I saw you wearing that thing for over a year now. I can't imagine how many days it's weathered with your child's play and huntress responsibilities. Having been wrapped in that old thing had me thinking that the cloak was past its prime. I went on a quick errand to the tailor that makes my dresses. I told her to replicate it, but update the fabrics. Good news is that a cape with a hood sewn to it doesn't have a long turnaround time. The outside of this is made of velour, which is lighter than your cotton, but also has the same sheen and feel of velvet. Here, come feel," Weiss zealously offered, Ruby's hesitant nature not being permitted as the heiress took her by the hand and placed it on the cloak.

Ruby ran it through her fingers. It was soft, luxurious, and wished she could fall into a pile of it and sink into the softness, but it wasn't her cloak. The woolly fabric may not have been as extravagant as this, but this wasn't made by the loving hands of her mom, hours toiled in the middle of the night to make a more convenient swaddle so she never had to buy one again. It wasn't the last memory of her mother aside from the few pictures that she was able to sneak away from her dad's shoe box.

The ringing in Ruby's ear subsided, hearing Weiss continue to talk about the new cloak. "The hood lining is made of satin, which should protect your hair from clinging to the fabric..." the leader not noticing the ice princess trail off as she was conflicted by the generosity. "Ruby."

"Yeah..."

"I know you're not the kind of girl that would scream when she gets new clothing, but your blank stare is off-putting," Weiss pointed out, Ruby trying to cover her tracks to not hurt Weiss' feelings.

"No. Weiss. This is great. I want to wear it now," Ruby grinning wide, not knowing her eyes were showcasing the sadness behind them.

"You forcing a smile is more jarring that you breaking down and crying," the heiress called attention to, Ruby's expression fading to her real emotion as her gaze diverted towards this impostor cloak in her hands. "Did I... did I do something wrong?"

The leader couldn't contain want her heart was telling her, that it wasn't time yet to give up her precious cloak, that the memories embedded in the threads could create a tapestry of her life. Each tile representing a flashback to beauty and pain. "Yes.." she croaked out. "That cloak was the first gift my mother ever gave me."

The replacement dropped out of the ice princess' hands, Ruby not able to bring her gaze up to meet the heiress' terrified face. Weiss lost feeling in her legs, taking a seat on the bed with the information given, her image in the leader's peripheral vision as she was hunched over, burying her face in her hands. "I am the biggest, most worthless dolt that has ever been on this planet."

Ruby took a seat with her, rubbing her hand over the heiress' back as she attempted to sooth her. "It's fi-fine."

"How can you say that when you're on the verge of crying?" Weiss bringing herself out of her palms as she addressed Ruby.

"Well... recently, I've been thinking of a new look. I love the cloak, but it started to feel dated. For me, it was no different than girls who keep their baby blanket. I'm not a little girl anymore. I may not be technically an adult, but I certainly am not some little girl that needs to play hero, but be one," the leader argued, Weiss having to defend Ruby from her own good nature.

"Don't. Don't you dare try and give me an excuse to think that I didn't make a huge mistake. Searching for a new look is one thing, but completely tossing away a memento is another. Why didn't you ever tell me the importance behind the cloak?"

"You never asked," she squeaked out, the answer having Weiss bury her face in her hands again. As she could feel her girlfriend beating herself up about her actions, Ruby lost the ability to hold back a tear, also hating herself that she could think she was ready to give the cloak up.

"I'm so sorry, Ruby. When I was out doing this, I thought I was doing you a favor. Never did I think I would be replacing something with that amount of sentiment behind it. I'm also sorry I never asked about it. With how inquisitive you are will a lot of aspects of my life, I didn't even think to question why you don't ever take off the cloak. I mean, seeing you without it was rare, but because you weren't weird and wear it to bed or to the dance, I became complacent with that's another quirk with you."

"I suppose I'm partial to blame for this. I can see you being very hesitant to ask about my past with any question could be a trigger to my mom's death. Even now it's still hard to bring it up," Ruby cleared up.

A long silence followed, Ruby uncomfortable of what Weiss would do next to take all the blame back when her attempt at softening the blunder. "The reason I'm not in tears begging you to forgive me is that there is a simple fix to this slight. The cloak should still be in the shop. Tomorrow, first thing in the morning, we run down there and we get it rectified."

The crystal stare in the heiress' determined expressed softened the turmoil inside her. "Thanks Weiss," she huskily uttered, a hand reaching over to her girlfriend's taking it and gently running her fingers with hers. "I feel so naive that I think I could part with it yet... or ever. Seeing that imitation was a sign, but feeling it made me recognize how important of a staple she has to my life and I froze as the memories flooded me. As wonderful as your gift is, it's not the one my mother made. It's not... it's just..."

"You don't need to say anymore, Ruby," Weiss brushing a tear she hadn't noticed trailed down her cheek. "I understand to a degree how it feels. But unlike your necklace, which brought me nothing but joy, I can see how this is the other side of the coin. As your cloak wasn't stolen, and seeing how finding an entire organization has been hard enough let alone a single person, this should be short work in comparison."

Ruby felt a wave of relief as soon her cloak would be in her arms again, thinking that maybe she would wear it in place of pajamas to catch up on missing out on today from wearing it. In the corner of her eye, the replacement stood in a lustrous pile on the floor. She may not have been fond of it, but like her original cloak, this one also had love behind the idea. The leader lifted it from the ground, dusting it off as she took a better look at it. "What do we do with this one then?"

"Well, considering that was made in your specific dimensions, the shop may not give me a return as everything is custom made and tailored to the initial design. I could probably use Schnee status and force them, but they were nice enough to prioritize my order in the first place that I'd feel immoral pulling those strings. Bathrobe, maybe," Weiss thought out loud, taking a piece in her hand and laying it across her lap. "It is quite warm."

"Yeah... it is. What about blanket?" Ruby suggested. "I'm never in the bathroom long enough thanks to my hair. I know you have an affinity for the cold, but I wouldn't mind snuggling under this come winter. I'd be lying if I haven't thought about the idea of us naked under my cloak. We come in after a cold, hard rain, our clothes soaked to the skin, but the cloak is warm and we huddle for warmth. The closeness excites me and I slide my hands..."

Ruby was interrupted as her partner's palm was placed squarely over her hand. "The fact that you have romantic fantasies that begin with that cloak is making me feel more guilty. Also, keep them to yourself. We're still learning and I'm not ready to extend my sexual limits to the realm of role play."

The leader did as she was requested, smiling under the heiress' hand as she was wondering what kind of fantasies her girlfriend could have. Weiss said 'I'm sorry' more times than she could count, but Ruby had already had her anxiety alleviated as the heiress promised her cloak was still in the shop, most likely in the back room on a hanger with other templates that they use. She fell asleep, wanting her slumber to be over so she could take the first airship to downtown Vale.

Ruby's excitement was mixed with her nervousness that woke her up in increments of thirty minutes as she was driven awake. As soon as the sun was peeping through the drapes, she was pushing a very drowsy heiress to the showers, Weiss finding it harder than she thought to be awake this early. When the cold water hit the heiress, she was put into full gear, remembering the importance of her mission. The leader helped as much as she could, hoping to speed up the process. Weiss' length of hair was proving longer than she was anticipating to dry, Ruby using her semblance to stall the airship for a few minutes as her girlfriend was getting presentable.

The two dashed through the district to end up in front of a shop that Ruby never would have given the time considering how extravagant it was. The large display glass windows had dresses that the leader could guess could be used as a down payment for a house. Weiss felt foolish, knowing the store opened much later and still went along with disrupting her beauty sleep. The two got a couple coffees and stood as loiterers outside until the shopkeeper came in for work.

"Oh hello, Miss Schnee. How are you?" the lady asked, Ruby taking note of her full-bodied figure and ornate dress she wore, the leader letting Weiss take control of the conversation as she was out of her element.

"Hello, madam. I deeply apologize for inconveniencing you this early in the morning, but the cloak I dropped off yesterday, I need it back."

"But... but I made exactly what you wanted, did I not?" the lady confused as she was opening the storefront, getting them out of the ocean morning air.

"It was and I'm not here to return or besmirch your good name in any way. The original one, though, is very important to my girlfriend here and let's just say I made a mistake in trying to replace it," Weiss explained.

"Oh, I see. Well, good thing you came today. I was about to toss it tomorrow with the rest of the trash. But... and I want to remind you that I was under the impression that this was going to simply be a template, I might have made it slightly... umm altered than when you last saw it," the seamstress pronounced, the leader feeling a pit in her stomach as the worst case scenarios popped in her mind, not able to contain her concern.

"What did you do to my cloak?" Ruby abruptly shouted out, the woman turning around, giving a snarled expression as she was being aggrieved. "I didn't mean to say it like that. I-I apologize."

The seamstress said nothing more, turning her back swiftly as she lead them to the back. "There was, for some odd reason, duct tape at the bottom of it. To get a proper measure, I took it off, not knowing that was a cover-up for a tear that was only made larger by my impatience with the sticky strip."

The pit in her stomach expanded into an abyss as she heard the description, wanting to turn back as she didn't want to know how responsible she was for deteriorating her cloak further. The seamstress went through the rack, the bright red amongst mostly black and white was easy to spot. As she took it off the line, the scar went up the better half of the garment. "I'm sorry, but I had no idea. If this is all you need, then can you please depart so I can get the morning linens set?"

Ruby's tears set in as the threads were running through her fingers, the individual strands that were falling apart, making the tear in the cloak worse. With the article practically split in half, she didn't know how much a repair would cost, guessing she would drain her account at this place. "Can you fix this?" she appealed, hoping her big eyes would work as effectively as they do on Yang.

"Normally yes, but with how rude you were accusing me earlier, I'm leaning with a no."

"But..." ready to beg, but Weiss stopped her from debasing herself by groveling, the ice princess taking her voice low enough to keep the conversation private.

"Ruby, don't fight this one. You'll only dig yourself further into a grave and we'll have to go elsewhere. I know you want to fight, and in any other instance I'm sure you'd sway her, but let me clean up this mess I made. I owe this to you," Weiss rendered, the leader taking solace that her girlfriend wanted to take this one head on, not in Ruby's socially awkward ability to try and win her over.

"Fine..."

"Now here's what I need you to do. Go back to school, take the best notes I've ever seen you write, and I'll see you later. I promise this will get fixed." Weiss gave a peck before sending the leader on her way. Ruby did feel in the wrong as she couldn't put up more of a fight lest she cause a couple's quarrel in front of company that would even think less of her. Even with her limited funds, she was hoping to pay for part of the repair cost.

The leader didn't know what her partner was up to with her gone most of the day, her missing all of the lectures and Ruby counting on her notes were up to par as Weiss was out. At the end of Port's lecture, she got a text on her scroll from her girlfriend saying '_Come back to the room ASAP._' Ruby firm in her decision to leave early as she excused herself from the other half of Team RWBY.

Upon entering the dorm, Weiss was in the bathroom, garbed in her cloak as she observed the stitch work at the ends, Ruby not wavering as she wrapped her arms around the slender woman, the leader feeling a jolt in her girlfriend as she surprised her. "Oh my goodness, Weiss. This looks great. It's as if the Usra never laid a paw on me."

"Good to see my work wasn't for nothing," the heiress wriggling out of Ruby's embrace and unclasping the cloak, draping it over the proper owner. "I have to feel more sympathy for the Faunus sweatshops that exist. I discredited how easy it was, but I pricked myself a plenty as I was sewing this together."

Ruby's attention diverted to the heiress' hands, the leader taking them into her hand and seeing the tiny blood speckles that were scabbing on her fingertips, a bandage over one from a cut too deep. She felt a lump in her throat as she grasped as to what transpired at the shop. "You sewed this for me... why? Wouldn't she do it?"

"She would after you left, but what you said about this cloak made my decision clear that it had to be someone that loves you be the one that restores it. It was made out of love, therefore it was going to be mended with love. I sat next to her, learned with her the skills of a seamstress, and asked for her expertise as she was working on other projects to get his look flawless again. Then I re-dyed it and made it look as fresh as the day your mother made it for you," Weiss exuding pride as she was describing her toil, Ruby not knocking her as the final product was beautiful.

"Glad to see you didn't turn... that my remarks about the cloak the other day didn't deter you," Ruby spoke from the heart, "I want to be seen as an adult, considering how mature you see me and perceiving how others see me made me think that I was ready to get rid of this, but I don't think I ever can."

"And that's not a bad thing, Ruby," Weiss piped up, icy orbs gazing into hers as she continued. "I know how often your childish antics get on my nerves, but I've learned to appreciate it and not because I do have a laugh later about it. It's because that childlike innocence, that authentic optimism, is something essential to being the best. We live in a dark world and see a lot of good people get hurt, but that only drives you to be better... and it drives me to be better. Never lose this aspect of you. You wouldn't be my Ruby if you weren't inspiring others that there's still hope in a crisis. It's part of the reason I fell in love with you so you without that, or this cloak, makes it my duty to preserve that."

Ruby was smitten that Weiss would go this length to preserve her naivete, radiant that, like her mom, would protect her to keep her heart pure. However, in the spirit of innocence, the leader giggled at word usage. "You said 'duty'."

Weiss' beaming smile turned faster into a frown than Ruby can travel using her semblance, pinching the bridge of her nose as she was masking pain. "I should have clarified. That's what I get for speaking from the heart, I suppose." Weiss departed the bathroom and headed towards the door, having Ruby chasing her, fearing that she trampled on Weiss' feelings again.

"I didn't mean for it to come out like that, well I did, but I know what you were saying was serious and..." Ruby paused as she saw the heiress holding back laughter, a face gratified that she was able to put-on the leader for another laugh.

"I know. I'm hungry having skipped lunch to concentrate on getting this done timely. Let's go get an early dinner," Weiss offered, Ruby not needing a second invitation with the heiress in as high a spirits as she was.

With the cloak's integrity at full capacity, Ruby threw an arm around the heiress, taking a generous amount of her cloak with her. Weiss tugged on her end, burrowing closer into the leader as she encased them within the cloth, Ruby pleased she was a half inch taller to see the ice princess' blush inch across her face. "_I'm glad that I'm a couple years younger. This relationship is continually engaging because I learn something new, but am also guided because of her experience so I'm not constantly making bad decisions... like giving up the value she loves most._"


	29. Yang: The Fire That Forged the Future

Hello everybody. This will be a nice short note. Thanks for all of the love and support for this story, probably reaching 800 followers by next chapters, and apparently on the sub-reddit where all of the things I commission are well received. My artist tipped me off to that after he finished the cutest White Rose pic we've worked on. This chapter is a little different, but not much. Just slipping back and forth between Bumblebee more than usual for a special chapter. Again, thanks for reading, and be sure to follow/fav and review.

Yang: The Fire That Forged the Future

Sitting in Professor Oobleck's class was still torture even when he was their supervisor when they were first years. The man was brilliant, but suffering through the history of Remnant was never one of her favorite subjects. In her infinite attempt to distract herself in class, she would look over to her partner who was faring far worse than herself. Blake didn't love history, but it interested her as the Faunus version of their history as opposed to what was being taught always seemed skewed, her girlfriend claiming that it was always the winners that dictate how accounts were written.

Today, though, with her head being propped up, ears drooping behind the bow, and her eyes popping in and out of sleep, had Yang worried. "_I fall asleep with her, how is it that she is so tired? She's not kicking me awake from a nightmare, but she's been out it for awhile. Even after a cup of coffee she crashes harder after that caffeine high than normal. I don't want to be racist and assume it's a Faunus thing, but Velvet seems fine,_" the blonde taking a look at the timid girl, her posture astute and mind keen on listening to the lecture.

The bell rang, the students filing out and most heading down to the mess hall. The team waited as Blake sluggishly put away her books, leading the way up the stairs, conflicting with the foot traffic as she turned away. "Blake," the blonde called out, "were you hungry?"

The Faunus turned, Yang seeing past the focused expression to see the tired, stressed eyes that she's seen before. Blake's usual natural, glowing amber irises pallid in comparison, the dark growing bags under her eyes accentuating the haggard appearance. "I have a scone and some iced coffee for lunch. I was going down to the library and get some materials for studying later."

The blonde wasn't buying Blake's lie, but wasn't about to call her out in front of a crowd or the team. She reluctantly resolved to let her go for now. "Alright, but text me when you're free."

"Not a problem. See you girls," Blake said, giving a wave as she turned down the hall.

"Yang, do you know what's wrong with Blake?" Ruby asked, her leadership instinct sharp as she asked her perceptive inquiry.

"That's a great question that I'm going to find the answer to." Yang made her way to the cafeteria as planned, the other couple of Team RWBY in tow.

"Not to discredit Blake's competence, but she's not one to sit an a library like me," Weiss piped up, the blonde finding the logic hard to argue.

"You're right. You two don't worry about this. I'll bring Blake back to the fold. I'm giving you girls a heads up, I may need the room later."

"It's hard not to worry when now the variable of wondering where we may be sleeping tonight has arisen. I know that every couple is different, but sex can't the answer to your problems," Weiss argued, Yang hearing the indignation in her tone as she was countering, the blonde quick to quell the angry mind.

"It's not. I'm going to see if I can solve this first before I call on you girls for an intervention. I don't want her to feel like she's cornered and we're demanding an explanation from her," Yang explained, the blonde cutting in the middle of the line where Jaune and Pyrrha were to quicken her surveillance on Blake. She quickly ate her food and told Ruby to keep her scroll close to her for a text from her, making her haste towards the library.

Yang rejoiced that the bookcases were much taller than her, but resented how long and bright her hair was, making her stealth tactics feel pointless as her brightness clashed with the dark brown textures of the stacks. She kept her walking to a crawl to muffle the sound of boots to wood, eyes vigilant in finding her dark-clad girlfriend. At a desktop, she found Blake, furiously tapping at the keyboard and bringing up multiple windows. Yang shoved a couple of books apart, propping a makeshift window to keep her eyes on the Faunus. The blonde didn't know how trying it would be to stare at Blake for an indeterminate amount of time, but she began getting restless, finding time to hunt for a stool to use as a seat. Getting more fidgety, she pulled out her scroll and started the stopwatch function, seeing just how long she was sitting there. As the time was hitting close to the two hour mark, Yang was ready to get up and confront Blake, but the Faunus got sore from being sedentary for so long. After a few well-warranted stretches, the Faunus left the library, Yang steps behind her.

With Blake popping ear buds into her made it easy for Yang to trail her, the Faunus checking if other residents were in the room as she entered the dorm. The blonde stood outside, taking a deep breath to center herself. "_That whole vinegar and honey saying. I know I want to give some tough love, but I don't always want to come at her breathing fire. I know her at this point... she's hurt._"

Yang walked in with that mindset, the Faunus glued to her scroll as she was listening to something, the glow of the screen the only light in the room as she sat in the dark. The blonde sneaked up behind her, feeling the Faunus jump out of her seat as Yang tightly embraced her. "Yang, what are you doing?" Blake catching her breath from the scare, folding her scroll to the desk before the brawler could have a look.

"You haven't paid attention to me for awhile. I was hoping for a little make out session," she whispered in her ear, nipping the Faunus' neck as she buried her face in the crook. Yang tightened her grip as she felt her girlfriend resist and pull away from the loving actions.

"Not right now. I was actually going to take a nap after I listened to a newscast," the Faunus lied, the blonde knowing the telling sign as she up-ticked her voice. She didn't let up, but paused her smooches as she appealed to Blake's' softer side.

"Tell me what's wrong," Yang pleaded, the Faunus caught off guard and subsided her struggle as the blonde spoke.

"What?"

"Tell me what's wrong. You can lie to yourself, say that everything's alright and continue on with whatever you're doing, but you can't lie to me. I shouldn't be able to sneak up on you like this, nor spy on you for this long." Yang pulled out her trap card as she presented her scroll with the blinking stopwatch time signature. "That's a fraction of how long you were at the library, me starting this probably an hour in after I got settled. You can keep secrets, Blake, but not when you are hurting yourself. Not when I can see it clearly in your face, your presence in class, or how low your concentration is to the world around you because of whatever has you in a stranglehold to a screen."

Yang could feel her partner's heart rate increase. Like a mouse in a trap, she caught her, the blonde now in limbo as she awaited Blake's answer. "I didn't mean to shut you out, but... I didn't know what your reaction would be, me leaning towards all of the negative outcomes before a positive showed up as a possibility."

"Before you go on, I want you to know, you still don't have to let me in, but you have to listen when I tell you to slow down," Yang offered, Blake not taking the out.

"Thanks, but I think I should let you in." Blake took her scroll, expanding the screen and let the dozens of windows enlarged for the both of them to see. It didn't take long for the connection to form as all of them were news articles, each one depicting recent major crimes The White Fang had done around the city of Vale and beyond. As much as Yang wanted to keep her cool, she needed to blow off some steam when she saw past actions repeat.

Yang released her girlfriend, standing both in shock and animosity as the blonde thought she dealt with this problem before. "Blake, I thought we went over that you don't have to be doing this whole bring down an entire organization by yourself. Don't make my efforts feel meaningless if they're only repeating history."

"Yang, no. It's not what you think... but you're on the right track. It's not about The White Fang. It's about Adam," the Faunus confessed as she propped open the last window, a shady figure that matched her ex in the silhouette in clear view escaping on a rooftop. Yang was having to hold back her tongue as more sinister outcomes brewed in her mind.

"Why are you looking up articles about him? What's going on here?" the blonde spat out, Blake's ears pinning under the bow as she was feeling the accusation in Yang's voice.

"You're going to have to lower your tone if you want to get anything more out of me. This is why I didn't want to tell you. I didn't expect anything less than you assuming the worst," Blake shot back, the blonde seeing amber eyes striking her body with daggers as she knew she was stepping into a fight. With that not her intention, Yang turned it down a few notches.

"Now I'm just assuming bad. Blake, in the nicest way I could possibly say this, why have you been running yourself ragged researching Adam?"

Blake, satisfied with the level change, brought down her piercing stare, turning towards her scroll and highlighting the news. "It's because I've been trying to find a pattern in White Fang behavior, more specifically articles of mass mischief over time. Judging from what he would be in charge for, I was hoping to pin point some locations, and find an opportunity to corner him and talk."

"It's not reassuring that a major player in The White Fang, who's also your ex, is not someone you want to subdue and hand over to the proper authorities, but have a lovely chat with some tea," Yang snarlingly commented back, the Faunus back on the defensive.

"You think I was going to cheat, don't you?"

"I said I was assuming bad. You don't even want to know what the worst was. This looks suspicious to say the least. I'm allowed to be mad too," the blonde countered, Blake pausing, taking a deep breath before she continued.

"I was hoping to meet him, not to catch up, but persuade him to leave. Just to get that notion of cheating out of your mind, I had every intention of bringing you with me. I'm not some love-struck kid hoping to rekindle a lost love that would blind me from the fact he's the enemy, a conniving one at that. He would no doubt bring backup as well," Blake explained, Yang feeling part of her anxiety diminish as Blake revealed this information, figuring if she was trying to cheat she already made a mistake by making the whole plan available to her.

"You attempted this on your last mission, didn't you? What makes you think now would be any different?" the blonde's tone calmer as she saw the Faunus' eyes see her transgression.

"Because people can change. It's the whole basis of the old White Fang school of thought was that we could change society's opinion on Faunus and earn the rights we deserve. Yang, based on what you know about me, there's a lot I don't want to tell you because you would hate the person I used to be. If I never switched sides, there's no doubt that you would see me across a fight, and not fall in love. You would attack me without hesitation and cuff me to a police vehicle instead of a bed. But I changed, and felt if I could, then he could too. Adam wasn't a bad guy to begin with... just like me. I don't like thinking I'm hung up on him, but it's hard to shake the image of seeing him that night, always hoping he went to go do something better. I was fortunate for coming to this conclusion by myself, but maybe he needs a different kind of prodding. If there's a chance of saving him... then I'd want to try."

Yang's fire of pyre died down as she saw her sincerity to help the man bleed through her words. A part of the blonde wanted to fight back, possessive that the Faunus' attention was focused on anyone else, especially an ex-lover. Yang swallowed more than just her pride, knowing attacking back with Blake in such a vulnerable position would be rebuked. "Saving him is one thing, but you can't..." the blonde reaching out and cupping her girlfriend's face, "come in looking the way you do."

"Is it really that bad?"

"Now I'm even more concerned because either your eyes are too tired to get a proper focus in the mirror or you have been skipping the showers intentionally to give you more time looking for more articles." Yang rubbed her thumb over the bags to smooth them out. "I have been on the other side of this game. Unlike the guy who I thought I effectively cut off, you're much hotter. But Adam will probably have the same question as me which is 'how did you find me?' You come in with this worn-down appearance as a crazy-ex that has been obsessed with him, you will be turned away. Please... I would really like you to stop this. If you say he's in as deep into the network as you say he is, our paths will cross again. I'm not needy and want attention, but I'd rather have you focused on something else."

*-Blake-*

The Faunus was relieved to see the stern expression dissolve into a warmer one as Yang's hand massaged her shoulder. She knew the blonde was right, that all of this work might be for naught with how tangled up in The White Fang's web they seem to be in. She felt the effects of her rampant running around, endlessly searching, waiting for Yang to fall asleep so she could use her scroll at the dimmest setting until her wired brain crashed. She couldn't look in the violet irises anymore, embarrassed to know that she spiraled into an obsession in finding clues to locate Adam. She was eased to see Yang catching her before she fell, Blake blindsided today with her revelation.

With Yang being the great interventionist, the Faunus' schedule now had dramatically opened up. "You're right, Yang. It's just... I guess it's a habit of mine. I see a mystery and I put in more effort than my body can allow."

"The way I see it, that's passion, and it shows when you're with me. You were always very curious to learn about me, about my gauntlets," Yang teased. "But when your desire overwhelms you, and I'm not trying to be funny and talk about bedroom antics, you burn yourself out. As a partner, I know there was a possibility you wouldn't listen to me. But as your girlfriend, and seeing you destroy yourself, I expect you to take my speculations as more than overshadowing you."

"You made your point, Yang. I'll stop, but I feel a little lost now with the near future just wide open."

"This is a test. In two weeks, what happens?" the blonde asked, Blake not sure what her angle was as she was scanning the dates and nothing of significant importance. The Faunus shrugged her response, knowing she forgot something, but wasn't going to rattle her brain to figure it out.

Yang let out a deep sigh. "Now I'm glad I caught you when I did. Blake..." she said as she cupped the Faunus' hands, "it's our anniversary." Blake's eyes shrunk at the information dropped, her instinct to apologize for forgetting kicking in.

"I'm so sorry," she lowly said as her head lowered to her feet. "It didn't even click that we're in the month. If I really think about it, this is around the time where my feelings were bubbling underneath the surface and I turned into this stuttering mess until you confronted me."

"Give yourself a little more credit. You were far more composed than the drooling morons that have come up to me in clubs."

"That's not as reassuring as you think."

"Then how about this. You're the only one who made me second guess my confidence, forcing myself to tread lightly because I was nervous that the next sentence I say would make you run the other way. You have no idea how anxious I was, pretty much in this position, telling you to slow down and listen to what I have to say," Yang said, the blonde stepping closer, invading Blake's space enough to be lured to her lips. As she thought about her girlfriend's words, she noticed how history had repeated itself. A predictable nature that is innate to the point of it resurfacing after a short while. Instead of being simply grateful she was veered to the better path, she asked Yang for assistance.

"Yeah... that was a year ago. So much has happened in such little time that it feels like a decade. I'm sure you were planning something. It's our anniversary, so I wouldn't mind helping."

"That's great, but to be honest, I've been a lot of short on cash. I went over budget for your party. I've been procrastinating because checking my account makes all the ideas I have immediately dissipate," Yang confessed, the Faunus knowing too well how it is to have thoughts of grandeur only to be shot down at the realities of the cost. This time Blake did have disposable income, not shirking her duties as a girlfriend to surprise the blonde.

"Mind if I do it this time? If anything it will keep me preoccupied and keep me away from this," Blake said in disgust, shutting down her browser to her scroll and giving Yang faith her plan had worked.

"Good cause I was leaning towards a picnic with bread, with a side of bread and the last bit of brandy I have the suitcase," Yang laughed out, Blake joining her as she was being coerced to the mess hall to get more than a scone in her.

* * *

><p>"<em>Nope. Can't use that one either,<em>" Blake annoyingly thought to herself as she was flipping through her books for ideas for an anniversary date. She was impressed, but also disappointed that Yang had been using her books for many of the dates she brought her on in the past year. The Faunus knew they all felt vaguely familiar, but with her girlfriend's romantics being less than conventional always made them feel fresh. However, this left her in a predicament as she was running thin on ideas of what to do with Yang. "_All these books... Such good reads, but I need something more than just a dinner and a show, or a walk on the beach. I need someplace secluded. Get away from school and the city so it can just be us. I know both of us are good about shutting out the noise and be with each other, but I want this to be special. She puts a lot of effort to our dates and I feel if I come up with something half-baked, it'll worry her that my attention was diverting back to looking for Adam._"

Blake lay head on her pillow, taking a small rest before Yang and Ruby came back from doing 'sisterly bonding' as her partner put it. She heard the door creak open, the Faunus guessing who it could be from the remote silence. "Hey Blake."

"Hey Weiss. How was studying?"

"Amazingly fruitful. I love Ruby and you girls, but studying is one thing I can do infinitely faster by myself. You enjoying your... umm nap?" Weiss asked, the Faunus not wanting to know how drained she looked with the ice princess jumping to that conclusion.

"I wasn't napping. I'm tired from browsing my books for a good idea for the anniversary. I never really took this into account when reading any of them, but there are very few that get past that initial burst of passion. The first couple of months are represented at best. Every once in awhile you get a time skip, but, at that point, they broke up and are reuniting after growing up apart from each other, so it's like the first parts of a romance all over again."

"Sorry to see your novels don't work as well as Yang has seemed to utilize them," the heiress consoled as she took a seat on the edge of the bed. "Have you been looking through your smutty books as well?"

"Don't say 'smutty' with that kind of attitude please. They're really solid reads... especially when it comes to the sex parts." Blake laughing at her own secret, Weiss joining in. "I did and they have all really good ideas, but I'm not some billionaire that can lavishly take Yang to the ends of Remnant for a good shag. It's why I'm trying to get us out of the dorm. I don't want have to kick you and Ruby out for the weekend. We already do that enough."

"Thanks for that consideration. Now that we've started our... thing," Weiss inadvertently blushing away as she was still too new to sex to be so frank with the Faunus. "You know how Nora's snoring can get a bit out of hand. That and I'm tired of our guest sheets rarely being washed. Sometimes I smell your lavender shampoo if the timing of events are so close."

As Blake looked towards the heiress, she saw a resemblance to one of her books. The protagonist a young, rich beneficiary to a company. With the rest of her life going on course, she noticed she lacked love, using her extreme wealth to find it. Once she found a man, she attempted to keep him by buying his love with an endless holiday until he left. The moral of the story wasn't important, but what is that Weiss is wealthy, Blake wondering if she could pick the heiress' brain for some secluded spots.

"Weiss, have you taken Ruby to anything remote, where it was just you two?"

"Not really. If anything, she's taken me to a private setting. What got you asking that?" Weiss admitted.

"Not to criticize your romance in any way, but you have the money to take her anywhere. I was hoping you had some ideas."

"I do have some places you could go to depending on your budget. Is three thousand Lien good for you?"

"Let's not have it be prices that would also be the down payment on a car," Blake suggested.

"Fine. That just eliminated about ninety percent of those options. I shouldn't have even mentioned them. All of them have Faunus help that would no doubt spoil the mood with how little they're paid. I actually know of a really nice hot springs resort up in the mountains. It's certainly not cheap, but if I give a call to the owner, I know I can get you a reservation and maybe knock a few hundred Lien off the price," the heiress offered. With their anniversary weekend coming fast, Blake jumped at the opportunity.

"Thanks you, Weiss." The Faunus feeling alive after being so deadpan for the day hugged her friend. "You're a lifesaver."

"Not a problem. Just make sure to text Ruby or I when you're leaving," the ice princess noted, Blake sensing that the itch of love-making had hit the former maiden.

"I'll give you the heads up. Please take all the measures Yang and I take when we have to clean the room from it smelling like sex."

Weiss' icy orbs narrowed as she was caught by the Faunus, the ice princess quickly shifted herself away to her desk, but not before Blake could see the red-hot blush rushing to her face. "I will make no comment on that assumption. I'll get calling now. I'm sure his hours will end soon."

As much as she wanted to revel in her jest, she did have to have nondisclosure to this agreement. "Weiss, I need you to keep this between us. For reasons, Yang needs to think that I put in effort into planning this. If she finds out that I took a shortcut by asking you, it will raise her circumspection about something I promised I wouldn't do."

The Faunus wished the statement was less ambiguous, but it seemed the heiress was still as red as Ruby's cloak, hiding her face nonchalantly with her collar as she took a seat at her desk. "Yeah. Sure, just let me get you settled with reservations."

* * *

><p>Yang and Blake were securing the last of the suitcases to the end of Bumblebee, the Faunus feeling the whimsical nature of leaving behind the normal life with the weekend still ahead of them overtaking her as she was smiling through the struggle of hooking the ties. When the deed was done, Blake went over and gave Ruby and Weiss one last hug.<p>

"Thanks for the send off girls," Yang wrapping all three of them in her large embrace.

"We were debating on whether or not to give this to you now, but we have a feeling time will not be of any importance when you get there," Ruby pronounced, satisfied with her gift selection.

"Time?" the blonde questioned, her brain quickly connecting what the meaning behind it was. "Really, girls, a clock? You went with something traditional."

"Weiss wasn't going to budge, mostly because a lot of what I was going to give you was baked goods and they'd grow stale at some point."

"That and what you were giving them was something wholly inappropriate," the heiress cutting off Ruby before she was sold as the scapegoat. "It's their anniversary, not some random occasion you can throw a cookie at. Don't worry, though, as Ruby was able to persuade me on at least one detail. I am so sorry if you don't find it as humorous, Blake."

"On the inside, the numbers have all been changed to 'sex'," Ruby proudly admitted, Weiss burying her face in her hands while the couple shared a laugh.

"That's my little sister," Yang shuffling Ruby's hair as she teased her goodbye. The blonde hiked her leg over the motorcycle, Blake following suit as she wrapped her arms tightly around her girlfriend. The Faunus strapped on her helmet, unhappy that she'd have to conceal her race over the weekend, but at least the bow didn't mash her ears down, Blake dreading the next two hours as their trip to the mountains began.

Before hitting the highway, Yang was able to yell over the roar of Bumblebee and noise of traffic. "This is really exciting! This is kind of our first vacation together!"

"This is a couple of firsts for you. This is your first anniversary, and not to take anything away from it being my second time, but this is the first time where I felt grounded amongst the violent nature that we endure to enjoy what I have planned!"

"You mean you planned past us never leaving the bedroom!" Yang baited, the Faunus not excluding that for a portion of the weekend, but the inn had so much more to offer.

"Yes, because it wasn't you who planned it. There's a hot spring there and I think it would be a waste of all the Lien I sank into the room if we only enjoyed the bedspread! I hope this is as good as a gift!"

"It is! Like I said, no gifts! Both of us would have run ragged across downtown Vale looking for something! We should celebrate like we did when we first got together, just us!" Yang getting the last word as she turned onto the highway, Blake's nails digging into the blonde's toned stomach as she was riding the good vibrations of Bumblebee's motor, cursing the vehicle for being a vibrator on two wheels.

The Faunus was used to the high octane action of a battle, but having Yang drive aggressively through highway traffic had her spine crawl as she would feel the weight of a car as she zipped past it. Seeing the city of this angle was relieving, knowing in a few hours Blake would be away from it all. All of the rampant post-work schedules of the urban environment will be future Blake's problem as she would be armpit-deep into the soothing waters.

Before her mind could sink into that near future, the wailing sounds of sirens blared through the cacophony of the highway, the familiar whirling of a ghetto bird's blades behind her. The Faunus knew they were speeding, but wouldn't think the highway patrol would call upon this many law enforcement for a minor traffic infraction, her assumption correct as she saw an eighteen wheeler with multiple bullet holes barreling upwards up an on-ramp. Blake could see the two men dressed in the trademark monochrome attire in the seats, the woman knowing too well this was a White Fang mission going horribly wrong.

Feeling the jerking motion of the blonde in action had them riding alongside the rig. Yang looked back, even behind the aviator shades was a face determined to not these guys get away. Blake couldn't hear the blonde, but thought she made out the words '_Take the helm._'

Blake shook her head. She hadn't ridden anything bipedal since she was a little Faunus and was able to nab one off of garbage dump, not knowing if she could handle the horsepower that was underneath her. Either Yang didn't listen. or took her shaking head as a yes, and leaped off the bike, grabbing hold of the top rim of the trailer. The Faunus scrambled to scooch herself forward, taking the handles and reminding herself that the blonde owned her a massage for giving her a heart attack.

*-Yang-*

Her golden mane that was whipping in the wind was now a heavy nuisance as Yang was making her way towards the cab. Using the rear view mirror to her advantage, she saw the gun being drawn to her, a fast reflex flipping her to the top of the trailer. With herself out of immediate danger, she took a look behind her, a battalion of the Vale police force tailing her and a tunnel in front of her. With no place to go, but down, she maneuvered herself over to the passenger side, a White Fang member using his assault rifle to pick off cop's tires.

A couple of kicks to the wrist had the man unarmed, Yang swinging down grabbing a backup handgun out of his hands. "Hey boys. Come here often?" A quick double take of the two members had them shrug off the silly comment and the driver now swerving into the walls of the tunnel. The blonde was nimble, hoisting herself to the roof of the cab and hanging on as the heated sparks of metal-to-concrete grazed her forearm. All Yang wished is that part of her vacation packing was Ember Celica. A couple proper blasts to the center of the truck would have her in and ending the chase.

Yang went with plan B, going in punches a blazing. Mad that she was having to clean up White Fang trash when she's on vacation had her violet eyes redden, Yang switching over to the driver side gave her the element of surprise, the brawler biting her lip as she pierced through the window. "Really? Trying to pin a girl to a wall without even buying her a drink. You have no class." The blonde reeled back and knocked out the driver, realizing her mistake as the semi swerved to the right, the weight of whatever was in the back almost toppling over in the tunnel.

The blonde popped the lock and entered the cab, the passenger straining as he was bent over trying to straighten the out of control vehicle. A quick punch to the temple had him unconscious, Yang pushing over the dead weight on the gas pedal so she could stomp on the brake. The smell of smoldering rubber was the sweet smell of victory as the smoke settled and she stepped out of the cab, Blake already pulled up beside her.

The Faunus reached over to hug the hero, but still kept her in orbit with a more than sour look in her stare. "What? Saved the day, you know. I don't expect you to be a cheerleader, but that was kind of cool."

"I almost had a coronary when you jumped off. When I'm more concerned about Bumblebee veering off into the divider instead of your safety, we are crossing a very thin line of recklessness."

"Or you were more scared because you knew I totally had the situation under control. Let's be positive about this one," Yang turned the tables, the Faunus pondering it for a moment.

"I suppose, but don't flatter yourself too much. Despite with how much faith you had in me, I could have easily crashed. Let's take a page from the team's tactics and practice something like that before we randomly do it during an impromptu chase," Blake said, her saddling up again as she was getting onto the back of the bike.

Yang was halfway to jumping on until an officer shouted. "Hey!" the blonde turning her head, a strong, young officer wrangling in the women as his superiors were investigating and booking The White Fang members. "I'm sorry to inconvenience you and good job and all that, but because you were a part of this, we need you to come down to the station and write down your accounts to the report."

A sinking feeling went from her face to her stomach as Yang realized how big of a mistake it was to be so spontaneous. More hours than wanted were sat down in the downtown Vale Police Station, Yang wanting to bang her head with how much paper was being slung around the office as they were tabulating the case. To her displeasure, Yang was sitting on the bench in the lobby long enough for it to become numb, wondering how come her questioning took half as long as Blake's. "_I'll give them some more paperwork if they don't release her soon. Half the day is eaten up and... and I can only blame myself. I saw those uniforms and knew that if I sped past them, Blake would have brought it up and I didn't want to have The White Fang stirring in her mind, or more importantly, him. I feel gross, but it feels deserved to be as angry with Adam. He threw a monkey wrench into our relationship and we didn't even have contact with him. It's not the best feeling to admit I'm jealous, but I am. It's why I took charge, making sure Blake didn't ask those members if they knew where Adam was."_ Yang pinched the bridge of nose, calming herself as she centered her anger. _"I'm not a territorial person, but I have every intention of solidifying our relationship this weekend. I'm not going to lose to some ghost of her past, but I need to be in a better mood or he wins._"

The blonde gripped the wood in the bench, her hatred transferring through her grip as she imprinted her hands into grooves in the wood. Lost in her trance, a finger tapped her on the shoulder, Yang happy to see Blake out of her room. "Finally. Jeez, what took you so long?"

"I thought I'd be out here waiting for you."

Yang took a look at her scroll, the time just edging into rush hour. "No time. We're free to go so let's move," the couple making their haste to Bumblebee that Blake was fixing Yang's helmet as her tires were screeching on the asphalt. Much to the blonde's displeasure, she was hitting the gridlock of the nine-to-fivers, thanking herself that she bought something as free as a motorcycle to navigate through the cars. It wasn't fast, but she was making better progress than any of the citizens jammed in the lanes. As soon as they reached the city limits, the roads opened, the sun setting as they were making their way to the hot springs.

The couple rolled their bags into the inn, the massive estate rivaling Beacon's dormitories. As they hit the counter, the employees seemed to be scarce for the night shift, the blonde agitatedly ringing the help desk bell, Blake shifting it out of her hands as she was making a fool of herself. A young woman stepped out of her room, scrambling to match Yang's urgency. "Welcome to the Vale Mountain Hot Springs and Inn. How may I help you?"

Blake unfolded her itinerary, presenting it to the worker. "We're a little late, but we're here to check-in."

The young brunette scanned it over and presented their room keys in a jiffy. As she was leading them to their room, the blonde was hearing disparaging news. "I know you reserved the room and treatment, but please understand that we cannot refund anything you missed earlier today and the bathes are only available for the next hour. Judging by your story, the warm waters will melt that stress away." She inserted the key and unlocked the door. The blonde was floored as she saw the lavish room. It was a mini-replica of one of Weiss' bedrooms with a small kitchen nook. "Please enjoy your stay. If you have any questions, or need the staff to bring you items, feel free to call."

Yang flopped on the bed, happy to be lying down as she had been sitting upright, the Faunus not having it as she was pulling the blonde up. "I know. Just, can I have five minutes?"

"The five minutes you waste in here you'll regret once your toes dip into the spring water. I'll undress you if that's intensive," Blake adduced, Yang complying, but not for the titillating factor.

"My legs are pretty stiff from locking in that position for so long. I could use some help peeling my socks off," she said, putting as big a smile as she could for her lover as she was being led to the springs. Her mood did flip as she knew their clothes weren't going to be put on again for the night, but she did have one more thing to say before Yang could feel ready about going about flirting with Blake again. "Hey. I'm sorry that we ate up a whole day. It's your money and I can't imagine how much we wasted by missing the mani and pedi alone."

"Don't feel bad," Blake bolstering Yang's regret as she slipped her out of her shorts. "We did a good thing. They never said being a huntress was easy or wouldn't inconvenience us when we least expect it. I would have questioned your character if you did anything otherwise."

Blake opened the partition from dressing room to the springs, the steam lightly coating the surface of the cobblestone floors. With massive privacy walls and coverage of gentle foliage, the blonde didn't feel the need for the complimentary towel, relieving herself of the cloth and slumped her sore body into the soothing waters. Yang felt relief of the soul, but her body almost screaming in ecstasy as she dipped herself into the water. "Oh my goodness. You weren't kidding. Are you sure there isn't some dust treatment to this?"

"It wasn't in the brochure, but I'm glad we got here at least in time for this."

"That means you forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive. Relax, Yang." The Faunus curled up under Yang's shoulder, wistfully placing her hand on her stomach, the blonde lacing her fingers with hers as she leaned into Blake. "It's my treat this time." It set in the second time, Yang feeling irrational as she was overthinking her actions from earlier. Blake was here by her side, eyes twinkling in the pale moonlight, Yang taking in her love and placing a kiss on her lips. The Faunus gave a small reminder that there will be no more outdoor play, the blonde only having ideas flare as they were kicked back into their room. She rest her head on a rock padded with her towel, the fragments of moon peacefully in the orbit as Yang shut her eyes.

* * *

><p>Ringing came from the hotel phone, the blonde never fond of waking from a post-sex coma. She had to entangle her arms from where they were around Blake, rashly knocking over cups and bottles before taking the phone off the receiver. "Hello," she grumbled.<p>

"Miss Belladonna. This is a reminder that your morning mimosas and omelets will be ready in your private cabana. If you need assistance to its location, feel free to have the front desk lead you there," the woman said, Yang's words too muffled in the pillow to be heard and she hung up the phone. With a considerable yawn, the blonde stirred herself awake, eyes closed to let her hands do the roaming as she looked for Blake's face. As she felt hair, she knew something was wrong, the Faunus turned to her side instead of facing her like she remembered before falling asleep.

Blake was not in as sound of sleep as Yang has seen before, the blonde feeling she was doing her girlfriend a favor by nudging her awake. "I'm not being mean. We got some food prepared for us."

The Faunus replied with the same grunt as Yang, the blonde noticing a hard rasping to it, but ignored it knowing how long they were up. She slipped into an inn robe, not worrying about modesty as most of the residents here were couples in similar attire. Yang knew she had one more mission left, glad that her girlfriend was still in her morning fuzz as she took a small black box and a card out of her suitcase. _"I like to speak off the cuff, but I knew there were better words than saying 'roses are red.'_"

She quietly slipped out of the room and to the front desk, telling the staff that this was to be put on a silver platter on the edge of the bed as they left for their breakfast. Upon her return, much to Yang's dismay, the Faunus was still buried underneath the sheets. "_Don't think it. It's our anniversary. I just ran her batteries too low... that's it. It better be it,_" she sternly thought.

"Come on," she tenderly spoke, "omelets are good for energy." The Faunus was barely able to get out of bed, Yang returning the favor and dressing her.

"Thanks," Blake breathed out, the blonde leading her lover to the cabana. She stepped outside, the crisp mountain air hitting her nostrils as she took in the fresh air. Blake clung on as much as she could to her portable heater before resting on the lounge chair. An employee came around from behind them, serving them their fresh omelet and topping off their stemware. "I can't remember the last time I had alcohol this early in the morning."

"I'm not big on drinking before the sun goes down either, but today I think we can make an exception. Happy anniversary, Blake."

"Happy anniversary, Yang." A dribble of orange splashed on the entree as they clanged their glasses in celebration, the blonde shaking it off as Blake was still waking up.

As the two ate, Yang lied to herself that Blake's sluggishness was due to last night's events. The conversation was slower, she was propping herself up on the armrest with her fist, and noticing how hard the Faunus was trying to stay awake made the blonde's fears creep up on her. As she stepped away for a bathroom break, she came back only to be disappointed. With the Faunus asleep and her scroll in her hand, Yang knew what transpired, a necrotic tendency to try and have her denial was struck down as she smoothly extracted the scroll. When she unlocked the screen to see multiple windows pop up of articles from yesterday, she felt her heart sink. As she looked down at the sleeping Faunus, she couldn't bring her voice to the surface lest her anger flare up and embarrass the both of them. Instead, she took the scroll, pressed record, and faced the camera towards her.

*-Blake-*

The Faunus' eyes fluttered open, her ears picking up the surreal stillness as she was stretching her arms from sitting improperly in the lounger. She noticed a lack of girlfriend, wondering what Yang could be doing in the bathroom that would take this long. She reached for her scroll, questioning how it wasn't in her pocket and on the end table between the chairs. As she peeked at the time, she panicked as it was closer to brunch than breakfast at this point. As she opened to her home screen to text Yang where she was, it opened to the video gallery instead, a new entry in the top corner with her girlfriend's face as the thumbnail. The curiosity got the best of her, clicking on the image.

"Blake, before I begin, I'm sorry that I went through your scroll. You know that's not in my nature, but you forced my hand when I saw you dead asleep when I came back. It wasn't too hard to figure out why when your scroll opened up to news reports from yesterday," Yang incriminating her, the piercing stare in the video hitting her heart as she was caught. Blake wanted to toss the scroll and find her, but her girlfriend had more to say. "I talked to you about this and you went behind my back, according to the history, not fifteen minutes after we had passionately made love all the way up to maybe an hour before we got a call from the help desk. I said before that I told you to stop because it was hurting you. I still stand by that, but I also didn't want to admit that I was getting jealous." The Faunus noticed a crack in her voice as she acknowledged her fear, Yang doing her best to compose herself before she continued. "I... I've never been someone to needs to holds someone's attention, but... it has been daunting to know that I was losing yours. I love you, Blake... and it hurt me more than I thought it could to see this. To see that if we did meet him, you would go with him. I know that's crazy of-of me to think, but it's getting tougher to think more rationally when I see you betray my trust like this..."

Blake shut the video off, frantically scrolling through her contacts to get a hold of Yang, not knowing if she could even speak with how much the disparaging message struck her. So long as she could say 'meet me in the room', it would be fine. She got the blonde's voicemail twice, Blake not bothering to leave a messsage. She ran towards their room, missing the door a few times with tears obscuring her view. When she got in, she felt her heart stop as Yang wasn't present. Blake dialed her number again and again, each with the same disconcerting result. "No. This can't..." Blake choking on her words as her throat was closing from the panic. "I didn't mean to do this."

The Faunus' legs grew weak as she ran out of options to find her girlfriend, if she was anymore. She crashed to the bed, feeling something heavy dig into her thigh with a clang. As she took a glimpse to see what dug into her, she saw a platter, but no food present. After wiping her eyes fresh, she took notice of her name on an envelope, the recognizable characters of Yang's handwriting reading '_Blake_'.

She examined it, something out of character with the extravagance of it all, but ripped through the envelope and pulled out a sheet of paper. "I know I'm good at speaking extemporaneously. My ways of romance seemingly able to get you to love me, but I sat and wrote it down about what you and this year mean to me." The Faunus having to wipe tears from her as a few droplets stained the parchment. "As you know, I've never been in a relationship with a person as long as we have. A year might be insignificant to the grand scheme of things, but, in a year, I've never experienced as much in my life as I did with you. I've never been a romantic, always liking to skip to the good part without much effort, but seeing your expressions, those subtle moments when your eyes glimmer from my actions were worth the days I spent reading through your collection for ideas. The fact you never tried to change me, embracing my style and quirks, and dealing with my hotheadedness when it would rear its ugly nature into conflicts that should have been handled more adeptly. This is usually the part where I would say endless flattering things about your body, but I'm sure whatever transpired last night was testament to how beautiful you are to me." Blake astounded that the blonde was still able to pick her spirits up as she weakly smiled, eyes focusing harder as the bottom page was dotted with droplets. "I look to you for support, for strength, and at times, motivation, to remember why I get up in the morning, why I fight, and adding more reasons to why I love you. I know I said no gifts, but it really was so you weren't running around downtown Vale pulling your hair out trying to find a jeweler who wouldn't bankrupt you like I was."

"Jeweler?" Blake mouthed out, searching the plate she disarrayed in her scare. On the carpet was a little black box, Blake already guessing as to what was inside based on its size.

"I never thought much about the future, always living in the moment and relishing it more when you were part of those moments. When we started to become more serious, knowing that you would be there the next day was a guarantee, but I don't want you to just be there the next day. The occasional times I would think about the future, it was not just me anymore traveling the world, fighting as a huntress, and enjoying the finer things of life. You're there with me and I hope this ring is a way of cementing that future."

Blake's hand squeezed the tiny container, tears flowing freely as she was both touched by Yang's words and self-loathing that she hurt someone that had this much devotion for her. "_This is what I get for following up on a possible lead. If I didn't spend that extra half hour interrogating those guys because one of them knew him, I wouldn't even be in this situation. I would have left that station with a clearer head and I wouldn't have wronged the most important person in my life. Is this what's it's like on the other end when I've run away from my problems... this emptiness that I can't..._"

The Faunus felt a presence next to her, Blake dumfounded as Yang knelt in front of her before she registered how she got in the room. Through the quiet whimpering, the violet irises were also clouding with tears, Yang outstretching her arm to wipe away the fluid rolling down her cheeks. The blonde reached for her hand, prying the box from it and revealing a golden band, black and yellow gemstones interlacing in the ring. Yang took her left hand, placing it on the Faunus' proper finger, Blake choked up as she tried to find the words. As she looked at her girlfriend's face, the brawler adoringly smiled, the Faunus not able to look her in the eyes without apologizing, seizing her in tight embrace, Yang reciprocating.

The feeling of being held in the blonde's firm arms sobered Blake up, the Faunus relieved she didn't leave. "Even after all that... you came back."

"You should know by now that I'm not going to leave," she whispered as she matched Blake's tone. "But you did make it rather difficult this time. If I hadn't had a conversation at the bottom of a glass with myself, I might not have come back to the room to wait for you."

"I wouldn't have blamed you. I'm so-so sorry, Yang," Blake's voice shaking as she spoke. "I'm not trying to flip this around, but I didn't think you could get jealous. Your confidence bleeds into everything you do that it's unreal how it doesn't always go to your head. I think it's why I did what I did, because I thought I was only hurting me."

"Something that I'd wish you'd stop, by the way."

"I will," Blake declared, keeping Yang in her arms as she gazed into her eyes. "It's one thing when I'm chipping away at myself, but I'm not going to be responsible for also afflicting you. I'm done, Yang. We will meet Adam again one day, but I don't know why I want to meet him sooner as everyday will be too soon anyways."

"It's because you care," Yang answered. "You put up a hard exterior, and I understand why, but I've seen that little Faunus in you that believes in change is always present and has shown herself more since I've known you. You wouldn't be doing this if you didn't believe that The White Fang couldn't be taken down and the Faunus get their rights... nor if you thought that he could change back."

Blake sensed the shake in her girlfriend's voice, gaze averting at the mention of Adam, the Faunus seeing first-hand how her behavior has jolted Yang. "So then... how do we go about this?"

"Like I said, Blake. I don't... I don't know. We've hit roadblocks before and I'll admit this one is more taxing that others previous, but I wouldn't have put this ring on your finger if I didn't think we'd survive this. I won't reveal how much it cost, but there's hundreds of reasons alone to return it if I had any doubts in us."

She thought the letter had already drained herself of the strong emotions that welled within her her, only to be surprised that a couple more words and eyes wide with genuine affection had her overcome with adoration. "There's so much I want to say, but... I'm sort of at a loss for words with how lucky I am for having dodged this bullet. I wish I was able to write it down like you."

"That may be in my favor. With how eloquent and bright you are, you would make my little speech pale in comparison," Yang assured, Blake not knowing if she was being humble or not realizing how powerful her message was. The Faunus hoped her actions would suffice until she could proper convey how much Yang meant to her.

"I highly doubt that," she breathed out as she took her face between her hands and kissed the blonde. Lips coated with the salty texture of tears didn't deter the Faunus from savoring the sweetness of her lover's, Yang not dissuaded either as she took Blake in her arms with as much zeal as she. It wasn't the most satisfying kiss, but the essence behind the gesture made it the more valid than their kiss a year ago that brought them together in the first place.

The help desk phone rang again, Yang groaning at a session interrupted as she walked over to the end table. Any other day, she would have ripped the chord from the wall, but she had good news to deliver instead of spam. "We have massages in a few. I don't know about you, but I could go for one."

"Those couldn't have come at a better time."

"Let's go to the bathroom first. I'm sure we look plenty hot with dry tear streaks decorating our faces, but I think we should go in clean," Yang humorlessly suggested.

Blake followed her into the bathroom, the blonde dabbing a washcloth, dotting the cool rag as she delicately cleaned her cheeks. "_She says I'm her support, but look at her pick us up when we're both hurting and sensitively care to us. There's so much in that letter that is true, but I have a lot to make up for and much more to live up to. I promise, Yang, I'll surpass those qualities because, one day, I want you to put a diamond on this ring._"


	30. Ruby: Rose's Refuge

A nice short update. It's crazy to see this story break past 800 followers. It's been a long and eventful journey. I'm working on another White Rose pic from my artist Bakki so, by the next update, it should be done. Till then, enjoy this White Rose. Fav/follow and I'll see you all next update.

Ruby: Rose's Refuge

"Now, what is the proper response to when we individually are separated as a team and the weather conditions make it hardly visible to see a signal in the sky let alone any of us. We are in a forest and there are Ursas surrounding us. Go," Weiss authoritatively demanded. A laser pointer was circling spastically in motion as she was going over the most involved, expansive, and well-thought out planning into a mission. However, this has been going on for four hours, Ruby's stomach grumbling as dinner was slowly passing by. With her mind hungry more for food than knowledge, she found it hard to keep up this facade for Weiss.

"I don't know... Initiate Freezerburn, then something about killing things," Ruby mumbled out. With her head on Yang's lap, she couldn't notice the heiress stomp over to her until the towering shadow blocked her view of the top of the bunk. Ruby looked away as long as she could before she could feel the heat burning into the side of her face as Weiss wouldn't let up.

Ruby rolled over, the icy glare meeting hers as she accepted her punishment. "That better have been some sort of joke considering the obvious parameters of we are all separated and our vision is already impaired."

"It was more a wisecrack than anything. I'm exhausted. We're all exhausted," Ruby pointed out. The other two team members body language showed their impatience with how tight their bodies were.

"I'm gong to be straight with you, Weiss, and say the only reason I'm still here is because Ruby got on her knees and begged me to sit down with you because of what happened last time. At first, I was curious as to what you had in terms of strategy, but my attention quickly waned after thirty minutes," Yang spoke in defense for her sister.

"And I'll be honest here, I've been paying more attention to the laser pointer," Blake added. Weiss scoffed and tossed the pointer to her desk, Ruby cringed as she felt the disappointment in the ice princess' actions.

"Fine. I'm not going to waste my breath anymore. I'm done," Weiss ordered, Blake making her way to the door, but Yang hugged the heiress from the back.

"You need to trust us. We had one slip up as a team and if you think Blake and I haven't been training to match your expectations, then you'll be thoroughly surprised in the inevitability that something doesn't go according to plan." Yang sternly reassured, Ruby not knowing if her words were having an effect as Weiss had her arms crossed through it all. "You girls want us to bring you something back?"

"No thank you," the heiress politely declined, Ruby taking initiative in the wrong response.

"Bring us back a couple of turkey sandwiches, please," Ruby arranged, Yang taking her nod and left with Blake. Weiss collapsed on their bed, Ruby taking a seat as she watched the heiress rubbing her temples furiously.

"I don't want to burst your bubble further in your amiable plan to plug any potential holes in the mission, but could you even answer that question?" Ruby asked, laying down next to her girlfriend.

"No. I don't even remember what I said. I'm worn out too. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a bunch of random babble that I concocted and tricked my brain into thinking it was a plausibility," Weiss admitted, grabbing her scroll and flipping through her messages. "I'm sending an apology to Yang and Blake. I can tell I went overboard today with how annoyed she sounded."

"You might have, but I appreciated it."

"You know not to patronize me." the heiress threatened.

"I'm not. There was a lot of good ideas for the portions I was paying attention for. You're actually very talented at this, but I think we're going to have to limit the parts I liked as just us two working together. I know I can order Blake and Yang to participate in practicing these formations, but I'll let them off the hook. It wasn't us as a team that slipped up last time, it was just us two," Ruby explained, Weiss' scowl lessening as the leader was comforting her.

"Thanks. Last time was a wake up call. I know you've been hurt before, but it was the first time I've received a real injury as a huntress. It makes me appreciate all the blows you've taken for me. All this preparation was to make sure none of us have to wake up the next morning to patch another up," the ice princess confirmed.

"And we won't so long as a catastrophe doesn't happen. The last mission wasn't so bad. My scar healed up nicely. I can't even see it anymore, and thanks to you, my cloak is in perfect condition," Ruby trying her best to lift Weiss' spirits. It seemed she wasn't going to have any of it, the heiress smirking at the sincerity, then diverting her eye contact. The leader doesn't like to pry, having secrets of her own that she'd like to keep, but she knew when something was troubling Weiss, eliciting this question.

"Anything else worrying you other than our performance on the mission?" Ruby tenderly asked, the blue orbs shifting back as the leader hit a salient point. In the long silence, she could hear the raging debate of whether or not to open up to Ruby. The leader had been fine in tagging along with this stressful endeavor to get the mission down pat, but she noticed this more aggressive change in her girlfriend a couple weeks ago, Ruby joking that her hair would turn black from the anxiety. Hoping she could quell the quarrel in Weiss' head, she prodded, "Girlfriend talk, I want to help you if I can. I need you to tell me, though."

The heiress let out a deep sigh before responding. "I'm sorry for being opaque, but I know that if this mission goes well, I'll be fine. You're just going to have to take that answer for now."

"I was hoping to get more out of you with that whole promise of opening up."

"I have been, but I'm testing this one out on my own. It's why I asked you if I could co-lead the team this time. This is the best way you could help, I assure you," the ice princess affirmed, a dry grin shying across her face. "I do love and hate that you know when something is troubling me."

"To be fair, you are sort of an easy person to read. It's when you're not scowling is when I'm confused as to what you could be thinking," Ruby explained, the leader's notion backed as Weiss crossed her arms and glared at her. The leader knew how to melt the ice princess' hard exterior. "Come here," she said as she wrapped her arms around the slender woman, lips lightly grazing the white mane until the heiress brought her head up for a proper kiss. "You smile a lot more than you frown if that's a consolation."

"It's flattering considering the 'Ice Queen' moniker I received when I entered Beacon," Weiss tugging on the red cloak to close the gap between bodies. Ruby was cold, which is why she wrapped up her girlfriend to share warmth, but Weiss doesn't get cold easily thanks to her aura, the leader charmed at the innocent action as the heiress buried herself into Ruby's form.

With a long dry streak, a combination of exams, and the room being overly dominated by the new honeymooners of Yang and Blake after their first anniversary, Ruby had been thirsty for more intimate endeavors. Her hand roamed down the ice princess' back, the heiress not as intent of breaking the streak. "Not on your life. Hands stay where they are."

"Sorry. It's been awhile. I know it's partially my fault, but those two have been in exceptionally high spirits since they returned that I don't want to get in the way of their revelry."

"There's a fine line in being polite and being a doormat. You're riding the latter at this point. I'm not saying I'm in the mood now, but there's been two occasions where you shut me out because your sister tempted you with cookies."

"That only further supported her argument, but I'm also building a little karma and hoping she'll be this charitable with the room when it's our anniversary," Ruby added, the heiress accepting that answer with a small smile that erupted into a large yawn, the hypnotizing effect of watching someone else had the leader feel her fatigue harder. Ruby closed her eyes, hoping the darkness would count as sleep as she nuzzled Weiss, the two lowly mumbling about the day until there was a thud at the door.

Enjoying the comfortable mood, the leader didn't see the sandwich tossed at her, the cellophane wrapped food glossing her cheek. "I'm got going to bring you girls back food if what I come back to is canoodling."

"It wasn't intentional," Ruby mentioned as she relinquished her girlfriend, both getting themselves proper as they got ready to eat. "Thanks, Yang."

"No problem, Ruby. Also, got your text, Weiss. I'm sorry if I came on too strong earlier. Four hours sitting and doing something interesting is punishing to a degree, let alone going over mission strategies. With you co-leading, we'll practice some of this tomorrow if you like."

Weiss swallowed her portion, dabbing her mouth with a napkin before answering. "No. You were right. I ought to trust you, but you and I, Ruby, have a date in the training room tomorrow."

"It's not the fun kind of training is it?" Ruby muffled through with a mouthful of sandwich.

"As nice as it to learn about Crescent Rose, I would prefer us to more competent with own weapons this time," Weiss told, Ruby dreading, for once, that busting out Crescent Rose for a fun run before a mission. It seems the leader was easier to read this time as the ice princess reached for her hand, gently squeezing the slender digits until Ruby turned to her. "When the mission is over, how about next weekend you show me the boosting technique you use with the sniper. I was always impressed how you defeated that Nevermore the first time around."

The leader was plenty upbeat hearing more cheer in Weiss' voice than thirty minutes ago. "Yeah, so long as I finally get to play with the dust chambers in Myrtenaster."

"We'll talk about that when the time comes. I don't want you blowing out the ratchet and giving me a chore. At the very least, I'll promise advanced dust techniques," Weiss secured, the leader getting excited as she as only felt the support effects of her dust properties in battle. A chance to sit down and study them intimately was always appreciated. A vibration came from her girlfriend's scroll, Weiss scrambled away from Ruby's grasp to take a look. The lighthearted nature of her proposal was lost as she dropped her sandwich and headed towards the door. "I've got to take this."

Ruby felt her efforts wash away as she heard the stern 'hello' beyond the door, the conversation becoming inaudible as the heiress took the conversation to a more secluded setting. "_I want to help, but she claims I'm helping already. Why is it so much easier to figure out a malfunction in Crescent Rose than my girlfriend?_"

* * *

><p>Metals clashed, sparks flying as Weiss was hitting harder with Myrtenaster, Ruby having trouble keeping up defending as the heiress was maintaining her speed with yellow dust. When Weiss let up, the leader found her opening, bolstering her semblance and was behind the ice princess in a flash. With Weiss being as relentless as she was, the leader wanted a break, knowing a swift hit to the back of the knee and bringing her scythe to her throat would count as her win.<p>

As Ruby was riding her momentum, she hit a wall bouncing herself to the ground. Her whole body felt like she hit the end of a brick wall, not realizing the hand in her face until her vision focused on the heiress in front of her. Weiss hand-trucked the leader up, having two fingers up. "How many fingers are up?"

"Thr... two. It's two." Ruby still dazed by the hit was unsure, happy with her lucky guess as she was directed around the glyph that popped up as a newly formed defense strategy that the leader failed to remember. "Nice one."

"Thanks. I'm getting better at animating glyphs in the space around me instead of in front of me. I prioritized my back for obvious reasons. You alright."

"I'll be fine. One more round before we have to get on the airship?"

"Gladly. Take it down a few notches, though. If we hurt ourselves literally right before we have to go, you will see wrath like you've never known." Ruby not knowing if Weiss was telling herself that, but she was prepared to stay on target. All of the strategies that the heiress did conceive, the leader had to admit were spectacular, Ruby wishing she's had a few that could have prevented a train from derailing long ago.

As they got in their battle stances, she waited for the three glyphs barrier to countdown the fight. As soon as the last one dissipated, she sprung into action. Ruby liked the hacking and slashing as the ice princess was on the defensive. The leader loved sparing with Weiss, her girlfriend far more cunning and played more defensively than she. The heiress always kept her at arms length, using her semblance and dust to her advantage to keep Ruby guessing at would could happen next. It's why she didn't like sparing with Yang, her close quarters combat was too similar to hers and she liked variety.

Variety was annoying her today as she wanted to best Weiss at least one more time, the ice princess shifting gears so fluidly that it became harder to pinpoint her next move. Ruby hated the disadvantage of no live ammunition, her sniper having to take to the sidelines and have the curved blade do majority of the work. The leader felt her boot stick, Weiss again landing a perfect shot to pin the leader in her place, but Ruby was faster to break the ice with the end of Crescent Rose and catch her as she was going for the match point to the throat.

A more devilish smile was worn by the both of them as the competitive stare was had between the blades. "You catch on quick. I forget sometimes how perceptive you are when you're doodling Mr. Port wearing a Beowulf head in class."

"Thanks, but don't praise me too soon."

"Why's that?"

"I also figured out how to counter it," Ruby shifting the edges away and planting a smooch on Weiss. An initial struggle and grunting of displeasure quickly tempered as the heiress succumbed to the leader's influence. They withdrew their weapons, the heavy grunts of battle shifting into a soft moan from the ice princess.

"You think you were cute when you thought of that, didn't you?" Weiss breaking the kiss, Ruby beaming as she knew she was caught with her cheeky planning.

"Clever is a better word. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure that can only counter you."

"It better only counter me. I see you try that on anyone else and I'll kill them and come after you," Weiss subtly threatened, a brash smirk had as she tried to get the sentence out. Ruby let her girlfriend go, the heiress getting another ring on her scroll and taking it outside. The leader knew something was up, but couldn't pinpoint it without evidence. Weiss trusted her enough to not pry until the mission was done, but her overly-aggressive tactics in practice and how she has been draining herself preparing was making it hard for her to stand by.

Ruby had set her mind as Weiss' floating attitude of romance had deflated into something more grim upon her reentry. Weiss was meandering with her aimless cleaning of her weapon, the leader taking her time to boldly bring up the subject. As the leader was finding her voice, she got a text from Yang, the time to pick a mission already upon them.

Blake and Yang were already looking at the listings, the whole room open to them now without the restrictions of being first years. Ruby gave a nudge to Weiss, the heiress having lost her spirit with whatever transpired over the call. As meticulous as always, she combed though the list and was able to pick one. "Seems like a mass herding of Goliaths are making their way too close for comfort on the outer city rim. Are you girls up for a safari?"

"During my incessant research to find my ex, there were a lot of reports of White Fang dealings going on in that area. With their old base of operations destroyed, I wouldn't be surprised if smuggling low-grade weapons though some of the other networks of mines are still undergoing," Blake explained, Ruby hating now that there couldn't be an argument when possibilities of a White Fang sting was on the table.

"I knew we'd eventually find a positive to your obsession if we waited long enough," Yang chortled, the blonde grabbing her girlfriend by the waist and gripping her hips as she expressed glee. "I second it. You're the final judge, Ruby."

Even if Ruby had any wiggle room, her ability to escape was abated as her girlfriend's eyes glowed with wanting that last approval. Even with the daunting task ahead of them, she figured if they aren't challenging themselves as huntresses, how will they grow? "I think that's a solid enough case to go off of. I don't want anyone hurt, though. We've done this enough and I don't like accepting defeat twice. Weiss, press the button."

The heiress took her cue and they marched themselves to the airfield. "I'm sure this is the part where I say some nice things about how we're going to rock this mission, but do you have something more articulate to give the team, Weiss?"

"I'll try," Weiss turning to the rest of the team as they were boarding the ship. A rattle in her voice initially as she cleared her throat. "Girls. You know I can be a tad of a perfectionist. I expect nothing, but perfect under normal circumstances. What I've learned being a part of Team RWBY is that there is no such thing. Ruby and I got hurt last time and that's why we've been training harder and came up with more supportive strategies that previous with Ruby's permission. I do want to thank you all for letting me have this chance. I do expect perfect, but so long as we're not in a catastrophe like last time and get this mission passed, I'll consider it a success. If we find White Fang, then that's icing on the cake."

"Well said," Ruby giving her blessing as he stuck her hand in the middle of the team. "Hands in everybody. Blake, Yang, co-leader Weiss, and their fearless leader Ruby, are ready to get that grade. Banzai!"

"Banzai!" the rest chimed in. The ship zipped past Vale city limits in a jiff, the girls taking a flying leap out the of the vehicle and landed in a clearing. In every direction, the land was open, not a Grimm for miles. Weiss brought out her scroll, running down the mission objectives again before addressing the team.

"As far as I can tell, it's a simple thinning of the herd. These are Goliaths and are fairly intelligent for Grimm. I feel an observation of numbers, patterns, and a place for an ambush is needed. Let's go," Weiss commanded, the team in tow as she moved of towards the setting sun. Ruby had only seen this part of Vale from television and the abandoned city from a distance. It felt like a whole new world when most of her time was spent in forests. The plains were a vibrant, yet darkening green brush, a tree sprouting from the ground every so often as the rolling hills and piles of rock were in between them. What wasn't as nice was the looming dark clouds in the distance, Ruby hoping Weiss was also marking her scroll with possible places they could bunker down in when the weather gets rough.

Goliaths were fortunately very massive, making them easy to see at a distance, but with very little cover, and how territorial the Grimm are, they could only watch from afar. Weiss gathered as much data as she could, Blake helping as Yang and Ruby got to sit out, neither of them as keen as their girlfriends. The leader stared off towards the distance, the blonde picking up on the transfixed gaze.

"Is Weiss messing up or something?" her sister asked in hushed tone, double taken as the sudden question.

"No. She's doing everything as I would have done. It's just what I've noticed over the past couple of weeks."

"Anything you'll like to talk about?" Yang offering her sisterly advice.

"There's nothing to talk about. She keeps saying 'So long as this mission goes well, I'll be fine.' I don't even know what that means let alone am scared that we're running into some sketchy situations. Those clouds are bringing heavy rain, and I've seen a flash or two of lightning. We're here till the mission is done and that bad omen will be here by nightfall," Ruby laying maybe a bit too much, but she was worried about her girlfriend. "She has set up perfect scenarios in her head and they've never gone even remotely close to what she pictured. This mission should go fine in the way usually everything we do goes fine. Ingenuity, teamwork, and some luck helping us succeed, but Weiss may not see that when she's leading."

"I guess you and I have similar taste in partners. Blake's been a tough nut to crack, but I learned to never force her. Blake, like Weiss, just need to comes to terms with whats happening with themselves before they can properly express it to others, even if that means they have to be in dire straits to do so," Yang calmly explained, the leader hearing the wealth of experience she's clearly had behind the scenes with Blake.

"Then what do I do?"

"You be there when she falls. If you're like me, every fiber of you wants to confront her. But unlike me, you've got a cooler head. You've got a voice in your relationship, but I'm sure you've got better judgment on whether or not it's a delicate matter to be shown on an open forum. Blake and I will be there if you need us, but you know what to do, Ruby. Don't second-guess yourself because you think you ought to solve her problem now," Yang lectured, the leader happy to hear how mature she was spoken too and even more so on how she was worrying for nothing. She checked back to her girlfriend, making sure she doesn't miss her catch.

*-Weiss-*

"So what do you think those two are talking about while we've been tallying the Goliath numbers?" Weiss candidly asked, keeping a mental count as the behemoth Grimm were shambling across the grassland.

"I know what Yang is thinking. 'Blake's butt looks hot in those shorts.' Not sure if she's conveying that with her sister, though," the Faunus on the mark had the heiress having a laugh. "With that clock you got us for our anniversary is the only reason I would consider it a possibility."

The ice princess was annoyed, bringing her back to that day at the store when she had to buy something. "She was twisting my arm saying that Yang would be bored with something so generic. If we didn't spice it up, it would be some item she throws in the bottom of a drawer and forgotten."

"No need to defend. I see the devilish smirk she gets whenever she sees it, and I'll admit I get a rise out of it as well. It's like a photo, but better, because it reminds us of the numerous times we've made love. You have to trust her more. I'm sure you find a lot of her ideas naive, but Ruby's been a bevy of insight. Even when it's her listening, she's doing more than most do when it comes to asking people for advice." Blake's attempt to sooth the heiress only exacerbated Weiss' planning.

"_She doesn't need to tell me how valuable Ruby is. I get reminded constantly from a simple remembrance in how I like my tea made to crying in her lap after a fight with Father. Blake's onto me, though. If Ruby says I'm easy to figure out when I'm troubled, Blake was probably the one that was the first to figure it out. I want to tell her what's happening, but burdening her with every little detail wasn't how I wanted me opening up to her to go. Definitely not when it's fixable,_" she bitterly thought as she noticed the tail end of the herd.

"You think that's enough?" the Faunus queried, Weiss looking to the impending storm, her time running short before finding a place to stay safe from the elements became the priority.

"Ye-yeah. You two, over here," Weiss ordered, Ruby and Yang coming from behind the tree to reconvene with the team.

"We have about twenty-five Goliaths making their way over to that river. There's a couple of rocky crags in the distance that I feel Yang and Blake can stake their claims and create their ambush. Ruby and I will shepard them with some well placed ice barriers and with Ruby hacking and slashing the tail of them," Weiss explained, feeling pressure leave her as Yang and Blake left without a hesitation.

"Nice plan. Mind if I add an amendment on my part?" the leader chimed in.

"Course. What did you want to do?"

"I do have a high-caliber sniper. I could stay here, pick a couple off before they even know what hit them, zip towards you with my semblance, and pick up what you had planned," Ruby suggested, Weiss hating that Blake's words were resonating no less than a few minutes after she mentioned it.

"I like it. I'll stalk them from behind. Strike when you feel the time is right," Weiss showing her appreciation with a small peck before a battle, but felt her girlfriend should hear it as well. "Thank you... I'm not sure I've been saying it enough with all that's been going on, but... I'm grateful with all you do and put up with me. I promise to be this considerate when I'm repaying you."

"Not a problem. Anything that you believe will help, I'll accommodate for," Ruby replied, giving one last kiss before she sent the heiress out. As Weiss kept her distance, she wished she had thought this plan out better, her heart hurting as the stress of the time constraint the storm clouds were putting on her unreal. Part of her wanted to tell Ruby to take a shot, wanting fate to decide the occurrence of events, but she knew a proper pitfall would kill a handful in a few seconds. Before the first shot rang out, the first carcass hit the floor, Weiss readjusting her grip on Myrtenaster as the drizzle slicked the handle.

The Goliaths became spooked instantly, Ruby keeping her professional word and picking off a second before the Grimm were on a full stampede. Yang and Blake were still a few hundred yards away, Weiss slashing ice to create lanes to filter the massive creatures to the ambush destination. Weiss concentrated on creating a thicker ice barrier to compete with the Grimm's natural strength, the Goliaths quickly bashing with their tusks not enough to crack it initially. The last of the herd were able to shatter her frosty fences, Weiss anticipating this and executing plan B as she was corralling half of the Goliaths seeing their escape to freedom. As Weiss was nipping at the heels to get them back into the fold, Ruby came in and with a bigger swing than Myrtenaster's elegant pokes, Crescent Rose adding to the body count as she sliced it down the middle.

Weiss was desperately trying to get the handful of Goliaths back to the intended destination, but they seemed to be taking them on a journey of their own. In the distance, she could hear the ambush take place and the free-flowing shotgun blasts from Ember Celica muffled through the heavy rain. "Your sister and Blake, we'll meet up with later!" she shouted over the clamor. "We need to get these shirkers before we return!"

"Agreed!" the leader complied. "How about ice flower?"

"Sounds good!" The couple stomped their feet in the mud. Ruby transformed Crescent Rose into her sniper, taking careful aim as Weiss made three glyphs descending in size, maneuvering them so her leader could take the clear shots. Her bullets were hindered by the pouring rain, but three of them connected to the back legs of the Goliaths, another two running into the distance. With them pinned to the ground, the two made quick work in dispatching the beasts. The last two giving them a run for their grade as they set off into the darkened scenery.

The last couple of Goliaths the heiress deemed were more effort than what they were worth, but she didn't want to give up with their tracks so fresh. With such a focus on the mission at hand, she didn't notice her partner suffering next to her, a massive sneeze that was heard over the rain being the sign. She glanced over, Ruby clad in her hood, making the most of what her cloak could cover as a hand was acting like a clasp. Crescent Rose making its own trail in the muck as it was dragged by the lethargy in her steps.

"Hey!" Weiss called out, the heiress feeling guilty as she saw the spirit of battle struggling to stay alive in the miserable conditions. "Let's call it off!"

"No! We can find them!" Ruby argued, the heiress getting annoyed as she saw her girlfriend's hand shivering in the cold. Weiss figured the amount of time arguing out here could be spent finding shelter, the ice princess keeping that information to herself to keep Ruby moving. She could feel the weather cutting through her, but her aura was better than any cloak as it acted as her defense to the elements.

With visibility getting lower, Weiss was getting scared, hoping that the trails of their own boots would still be around when the storm passes to get back to Yang and Blake. With night upon them, there wasn't much more they could do, the moon blotted out with the clouds. The unmistakable roar from a Goliath came from beside them, the glowing red eyes shining through the murky blackness, Ruby quick enough to stop the charging beast, but having a hooked weapon was not in her favor as the Goliath wringed it in his tusks, tossing the leader to the mire.

His friend came from the opposite direction, bolting towards a defenseless Ruby. Weiss reacted, a quick swing of Myrtenaster had the Goliath's tusks trapped in a barrier. The leader jumped on top of the beast's back, the lethal blade of the scythe under the jugular. The leader either impatient or losing her grip to her weapon fired off a couple shots to give her enough force for a clean decapitation.

With one more left, Weiss stood in riposte, awaiting for the beast to make his first mistake. Grimm already appeared fierce with red eyes bleeding through the white visor. This one was taking it to a new level as the heiress saw him digging his foot into the sludge, wanting that extra footing hold to make his charge count. The heiress, although scared, was impressed to see the Grimm's intelligence by leading them to their own ambush and a possible fight occurring to avenge his friend's death.

The Goliath blitzed, Weiss sharpening her aim to pierce the weak point of the white cover. As she was about to strike, a bolt of lightning struck down to the ground, the landscape illuminating for a brief second. The thunder crashing startled the ice princess, the shock having her drop Myrtenaster into the sludge. The creature was not deterred, Weiss scrambling to the soil to recover her weapon. Her new training kicked in, a white glyph forming as her protection as she cowered, unable to recoup.

The clash of Grimm to barrier had a resounding rumble as it collided harshly to the tough semblance. Ruby's battle cry came through the downpour, a shriek of pain from the Goliath echoing louder. She could hear the skewering of flesh-to-blade, the Grimm's voice subsiding to a murmur as she could hear Ruby making the kill as clean as she could. Weiss didn't look over, herself ashamed that she let a childish fear stop her in her tracks at such a crucial moment. She didn't notice Ruby as she was picking her up out of the mud, the leader doing her best to wash away the colors seeping into her white outfit with help from the shower.

"Are you alright?" she asked. Weiss frantically nodded, trying her best to shake off the fear so she could concentrate on the obvious next step.

With most Grimm doing the same thing as them, Weiss didn't mind being a beacon in the middle of the storm as she illuminated the surface with her glyphs. "Follow me!"

With every direction seemingly as good as any other with how little they could see in the rain, she decided to go straight and keep to it, hoping their quest to end soon. Her dress was soaking through the fabric, Weiss finding it harder for her aura to maintain her temperature as she trudged along with Ruby's hand in tow. She felt the digits intertwine, lightly squeezing hers as if she knew the heiress' faith in herself was depleting.

After a time, a glyph lit up next to a stony surface, the girls circling the rocky buildup until they saw a cave. It wasn't big which was to their benefit as it couldn't have housed anything bigger than a Beowolf. With warmth being the biggest concern, as both of them were drenched, Ruby hacked a tree outside to bits. With a lot of help from red dust, the heiress kept for this specific occasion, she was able to heat the logs enough to get a spark going, a fire roaring in the middle of the cave as the two were figuring out the next step, the ice princess not happy with what had to be done.

"I can't believe you're asking me to do this."

"I don't like it either, but we need to share body heat and we can't do that through soaked clothes. We'll lay them by the fire to dry and we'll huddle in the cloak to make sure we don't get hypothermia," Ruby explained. Weiss' front dissolved quickly as she noticed the telltale signs of suffering as her girlfriend was shivering, her own fingers growing numb from the frigid temperatures. Ruby and Yang may be related, but she didn't share the same lecherous thoughts to persuade her out of her clothes.

"When you tell others about this mission, you leave out this part, understood?" Weiss turned her back to her leader, revealing the zipper on her dress as she slipped out of her jacket, wringing out her length of hair to leave of puddle of water at her feet. The damp, wrinkled fabric was tough to peel off, but the women managed to wiggle out of them and pin them to the wall with some ingenuity from the heiress' part. Before Weiss could have a say, Ruby snatched her up, the ice princess struggling to breath in the cloak until her head came to the surface for air. Her girlfriend directed them to the wall closest to the fire, the heat more than welcomed as the heiress could feel her feet for the first time in what seemed like forever.

The bonfire's wood seldom crackled, the noise breaking up the pitter-patter of the rain, the sound more pleasant now that they were out of it. Feeling Ruby's rhythmic breathing normally would lull Weiss to sleep, but not when she was now forced to find a silver lining in this unhappy conclusion. The dwelling was peaceful, but as her mind was processing the last hours events. Like a paper needing grading, the heiress was hemorrhaging her efforts with a red pen, the last part the most grievous as she somehow ended up in the middle of Grimm territory in her underwear.

"_Now I wish I was able to answer that question I posed a few days ago. Oh how perfect would it be at the moment to know how I could turn this mission into a partial success._" The heiress tortured herself as she readjusted herself into Ruby's form, face resting on her perky breast as she was burying herself from the world. "_At least we'll pass, but... at what cost. This is a failure no matter what the grade says... Father was right._"

The heiress' emotions bubbled forth, mucus draining as the sadness overwhelmed her, Ruby able to hear the heartache as is grated against the tranquility. "What's the matter?"

Weiss was caught, the will to try and spin it into anything positive wasn't present. She didn't need to take another look at the state she's in to see the disaster that transpired under her leadership. She kept her promise and opened up. "I-I..." she breathed out, holding much of the pain in as to not become a bubbling mess. "I couldn't even pull this off... What good am I?"

"Weiss, I know what you're thinking and I assure you that we'd be in no better position if I was leading. We either think alike in terms of strategy or you studied me to a tee because everything you did was flawless. There's just too many variables to take into account that prevent it from going as we plan," Ruby doing her best to console the ice princess, Weiss not letting her partner waste a breath as she interrupted her passionate speech.

"Stop... Ruby. You don't know... and that's because I didn't want to tell you," the leader honoring her girlfriend's request as listened as she continued. "I've been getting calls from my father and not the usual 'making sure I'm keeping the standard of Schnee success.' My father may be technically the boss, but he has to answer to investors. Investors that depend on whomever takes over the company after him. That leaves only two people, Winter and I. My sister has been giving me warnings to take whatever he's going to dish out with a grain of salt because she was eighteen and in the same position at one point. But... that was her being a good sister. She accomplished a lot too, but also, because of her more stable relationship with our father, was able to work alongside him at the company."

"So where does that leave you?" Ruby asked, her arms wrapping tighter as Weiss was trembling in her embrace.

"I've... I've always been considered the rebel. I mean... I love the Schnee name, but Father and I have always had different ideals of how to uphold it which is why I'm a huntress. But as the investors keep seeing us in the news, it scares them that my interest in taking the helm one day is waning. Their biggest concern, though, is that I know many of the companies dark secrets due to me being my Father's daughter. My sister and I have seen some things that we were probably not supposed to until we got older. Point being, my sister unquestionably stayed and that left me on the outside looking in... waiting for Father to let me back into the family."

"I'm sorry. I may not know what a mother's love is like, but my dad always there to double his efforts. You've seen it the times he sends Zwei for a visit, but you do so much good as a huntress, Weiss. It shouldn't matter what your father thinks or that this mission went sour. You're defining your own path," Ruby cheered on, her hand cradling the heiress' neck as her nimble fingers massaged the ice princess.

"You're right, but you're also wrong, Ruby. I am on my own path, but mine will cross with his many times more and maybe even after he's gone. But he's right... I haven't done much of anything. How have I earned any place in that company when I'm constantly part of these battles that cause so much collateral damage to both name and property?"

Using the hem of Ruby's cloak, she wiped away a stray tear, loathing herself more as she was faltering to her father's insistent badgering. She felt the woman under her readjust herself, Weiss being nestled in her partner's almost motherly embrace as she spoke. "You want so much and I can't blame you for being as ambitious as you are. It's in your nature to conquer every facet of your life, but you're spreading yourself too thin to the point where now your father's remarks are breaking you."

The heiress saw the point her girlfriend was making. She did admit that with all that had happened over the past year that even a cold remark about how 'she should be leader' from her father hit harder than it did months previous. "It's sort of how I was wired. An entitlement that no one should tell why I can or cannot pursue something. It's what has always driven me."

"Then... how about concentrating on one aspect. Which part of your life do you want to focus on the most?" Ruby posed the question, the ice princess stumped as to what she was leaning into.

"I guess, since we're in the thick of it, being the best huntress at Beacon. I'm sure that if this were a mission under my name, that would be a dream slipping away from my fingers."

"You're focusing too much on this one slip up. Name off at least five things that could qualify you to be the best," the leader requested, Weiss finding it almost too easy with how fast she was able to list her credentials.

"I have the highest ranking in my classes in terms of grade. Pyrrha gives me a run for my money, but I best her in sparing matches, making me the best in combat. I am the best dust manipulator to the skill of expert being bestowed upon me. I dispatch most Grimm with ease... even though the loud clash of thunder is a very facilely way of disarming me," Weiss drifting off to the negative memory of today's mission, the leader anticipating such an effort and cut her off before she sojourned further into her pessimism.

"Not what I asked. You're at four. One more."

She had more than enough reasons to suffice the inquiry, but with Ruby bringing her back to the present, the reason she ended up so well-rounded rose to the top. The girl she stumbled upon in the Emerald Forest a year ago, who was now generously sharing her body heat naked in a cave, is the reason she's with the team who she follows into combat with confidence in their actions. "I am an excellent huntress solo, but I understand that without my team... or a girlfriend who's support is stronger than a Death Stalker's stinger, that possibility wouldn't exist."

Weiss felt a pair of lips brush against her hair, her words smittening the leader's heart as she giggled into her long tresses. "Thanks for that. Your father may be right, that you haven't done much to gain a place in the company, but you have accomplished so much as a huntress that most of us students at Beacon are jealous of your success. I know you want more and I'll help you accomplish everyone of your goals if you'll have me. You put this much energy into this aspect of your life in the past year then you shouldn't be ashamed that you lack elsewhere with so many achievements under your sash. Part of me wishes that if I say, 'Who cares? Forget about the company.' and you'll listen. But the other part of me knows that's foolish and you wouldn't be the Weiss I fell in love with if you even entertained that idea. I want you to be happy. I really love it when you smile."

More tears flowed from the ice princess' eyes, not of sadness, however. Weiss couldn't recall the last time she was praised in such a way, other than from Winter, that she forgot about the warm feeling of being recognized of her worth. Winter's words always kept her afloat, but it's her duty as the older sister to not abandon her. Ruby, although a loyal girlfriend, could leave at anytime. She didn't have to let Weiss lead today's mission. She could have screamed at her for having them end up freezing in a cave. She didn't still have to be the sweet, bright girlfriend she continues to grow as. Instead, she's holding the heiress tight, making sure she doesn't fall apart.

With the little wetness of happiness leaked out, Weiss composed herself, making an effort to keep her level head as the couple curled up next to the fire. The glow of the fire had spread to the rest of their bodies, the heiress feeling it as Ruby would snake her toasty fingers lower and lower down her love handles. With the mood more romantically charged, Weiss maneuvered herself so the leader's hand was cupping her petite butt, Ruby giving a soft squeeze as she drifted in and out of sleep.

As nice cozy as the cave was becoming, Weiss was glad to see the rain letting up. Ruby reached over to her scroll, flipping it back on to see a multitude of messages from Yang. "Glad to see that they're alright, but I'm certain I gave her a heart attack with my lack of response."

"Ask if she can give us coordinates. It's still dark, but with the moon in position I can direct us closer to Vale until we get a stronger signal for our airship back," Weiss softly ordered, making a glyph with only embers in the pit making a weak light to find her battle skirt. Her body quaked as the cool, partially sodden back to her dress was like fire hitting ice. Ruby, making her out audible discomfort to her own clothing, kept the heiress in her orbit as Weiss and her rushed to meet the other half of Team RWBY.

Finding the other two was long, but not hard as Yang was concentrating on keeping her semblance activated, the fire burning bright on the blackened landscape which could be seen for miles. Ruby called out her her when they were in earshot, the blonde racing off the rock and gripping the two in a monstrous hug. "Glad... to see... you too."

"You girls' responsibility was keeping up at night."

"It kept me warm, though, as you were concentrating your efforts," Blake chimed in, giving her tamer version of Yang's embrace. "So, Mission accomplished?"

"Yeah. I'll call in," Weiss declared, stepping away and having the airship come within minutes. Sitting across from Blake and Yang, she could tell they were restless with the two nodding off amongst the blaring of the ship's engines. Having had a nap earlier, Ruby kept to the close-quarters comfort back that the cave, the hands roaming around the safe zones so Weiss wouldn't let a squeal to wake Yang. She could guess how Ruby was feeling, Weiss also enamored with how mature she handled her on the mission. The heiress glanced over to the blonde sibling, happy that she didn't squander her card.

As the airship landed, Ruby zipped past them with her semblance, making a beeline to the bathroom that required utmost urgency. Yang and Blake were stretching from their naps, sitting upright in a mostly steel seating being on the bottom tier of comfort. Weiss still had to take initiative, a crack in her voice as she called the blonde away from Blake. "Ya-yang, can I speak to you for a minute?"

The brawler let out an affirmative sigh as she gave a quick crack to her back, following Weiss to the front of the ship. "What did you need?"

With little time to waste with Blake in tow, the heiress got her point across. "So... you know how earlier this year, when you were asking for Blake's address, that we made an exchange for that information and a pass to use the room?"

"Yeah..." Yang drolled out, the blonde clicking the pieces in her head slowly. Weiss was grateful she didn't have to spell it out for her. Requesting the room got easier each time, but it was still not a conversation that neither party looks forward to. "Oh, come on. Are you serious? Weiss... I want to sleep in my own bed today. Blake and I are exhausted and hurting," the blonde lifting up the underside of her arm to show a raw abrasion to her skin that her aura was having a hard time clearing up.

Weiss could sympathize, some bruises and cuts along her skin too, but she couldn't ignore what was transpiring in the airship. "Having slept on that bed quite often since you girls came back from your anniversary, I can ensure its level of cushiness. I wouldn't ask this if Ruby didn't earn something that deserves reciprocation to the love and tenderness I received. I know I don't have to ask, but it would be rude if I just locked the door and told you to leave... It wasn't part of the deal, but feel free to deny it if you want."

The heiress could see the stages of defeat run through her quick, the blonde burying her face in her hands, groaning out her reply. "Just go. Go before I change my mind."

"Thanks, Yang. Feel free to come back after noon," the heiress said, giving a hurried hug and rushing away to join her girlfriend. Upon entering the dorm, she could hear the soft beating of water, Weiss glad it wasn't the rain, but Ruby tending to herself in the shower. The heiress had to admit the grime and packed dirt on her legs were in need of a gentle soaking, but more importantly, saw a way to achieve two ends with a single effort. She shed her clothes step-by-step and she forged her way to the bathroom, her target unaware as she drenched her hair under the shower head.

*-Ruby-*

With the caked mud flossed thoroughly out between her toes, the leader was resting her head against her forearm in the shower, the splashing of the water calming. After the initial sting of water hitting the cuts on her hands was over, she indulged herself in the serene tranquility of a mission done. Lost to the world around her, she didn't know what wrapped itself around her waist, the woman yelped from the foreign contact, her feet scrambling, causing her to lose the balance and fall to her butt.

Her cry of pain wasn't unaccompanied, a familiar voice also lamenting. "Ouch!"

Ruby tried to turn around, but the heiress was sure to keep her in place. "Weiss, what's this all about?"

"That was me trying to be sexy. I think we could be lucky we didn't crack our heads on the tile," the ice princess commented, Ruby sore, but did pick up on the contextual clue.

"Sexy? Were you..."

"Yes," Weiss cut her off, lowering her voice to a more alluring tone, her breath hitting the back of Ruby's ear. "I can't thank you enough for what you said out there. I have done a lot in life. I'm excelling as a huntress, socially, in love..." the slender digits teasing their way up her waist, the sensitive skin on her taut stomach tightening as Weiss grazed her body. Ruby craned her head, brushing her lips on the ice princess' shoulder before she shrugged away. "You don't have to tonight. I can't express it more in words so I hope this will suffice. Unwind and let me tend to your needs."

The heiress' hands cupped her handful of Ruby's breasts, her digits betwixt around the hardening nipple as Weiss' lips tantalized her neck. The leader could tell the concealer was going to be needed as she felt her lover linger on her shoulder. The shorter-haired girl was at an impasse, never liking to be submissive when she wanted to take Weiss on her own climatic adventure, but she was finding it hard to vocalize that opinion as the heiress dutifully ravaged her chest, each tweak on her tips making any coherent thought into lustful whimpers. Weiss maneuvered Ruby to see her face. Through the glaze in her eyes, from both hot water and actions, the leader could see her partner drinking in her uninhibited expression. Embarrassment joined shyness as Ruby's cheeks flushed harder, self-conscious that Weiss can have her melting this fast with her hands.

"Too... too hot," she breathed out, not sure at this point if the water dripping from her bangs was sweat or water. The heiress seemed prepared, bringing the girl to her feet, coercing her against the cool wall away from the streams. The ice princess dialed it back, lips connecting lightly before Weiss' tongue brushed against hers. Ruby hungrily accepted back, opening her mouth as the heiress lightly swept the moist cavern before diving in. The ice princess' hands stayed busy as they massaged the leader's mounds, Ruby's nails digging into her girlfriend's back, the fingers tangled in the length as they were maintaining her position.

Before long, the heiress traveled south, latching herself to her jawline and leaving one last mark on her collarbone before hitting her destination. Ruby's perky breasts heaved with Weiss' foreplay, her breathes hitching more as the snow-haired woman traced around her pink bud before engorging herself onto the supple flesh. Her body arched into her partner's, allowing Weiss to take it with the fight to want to reciprocate leaving her. Her tightened stomach felt where the other hand was trailing, Ruby gasping as a faint pinch to her clit was felt across her body.

Her wetness was more due to her than the shower as the heiress' hands were drenched with fluid, Weiss' hands having trouble grinding into her with the frictionless solution coating her nether lips. Ruby missed the ecstasy from Weiss' mouth as her lips dipped to a preferred destination. The heiress hoisted a leg over her shoulder, the leader's entrance now having a better access. Weiss kissed the inner parts of her thigh, driving Ruby to beg if her breathing would temper enough to call out. The heiress didn't give her that luxury, her tongue adeptly curling around the clit. Ruby's hips jumped, her girlfriend steadying her with her one free hand from behind, the other diving into her wetness.

Weiss plunged a single digit in, Ruby's tightness feeling every inch of her intrusion as she slowly burrowed inside her. As soon as the leader loosened to her touch, she entered a second, Ruby's hips surging in a frenzy as her partner picked up the pace. Her body rocked and swayed with the rhythm, her panting becoming ragged as she could feel the plateau of pleasure she was gliding on. Ruby instinctively placed her hands behind Weiss' head, not that the heiress attempted to pull away, but she bore her fingers into her scalp. Weiss got what Ruby was going for and pulled her closer to her mouth, the pink length of her tip entering her to funnel her better, the heiress never forgetting to mash her love button with the velvety glaze of her tongue. She could feel the manicured fingers direct their full attention to the ridged, bumpy interior of her most favored spot, the ice princess a quick learner after a few sessions as she knew she would hit it when Ruby's hips undulated to keep the heiress' touch. With breathing labored, Ruby's shower now irrelevant as her body was damp with sweat, and the overflow that her lover couldn't catch spilling into the drain, her body waited for that fulfilling ending. The squelching sounds of her secretions competed with her shrieks as they echoed in the tiled room as Weiss suckled on the sweet nectar dripped from her honey pot, the heiress raking in the juices as they were pouring into her slit.

With the leader's leg locked around the heiress' body, she clamped down as a final flick to her clit had her arrive, burying her partner's face harder into her center. Her hips spasmed, her orgasm quaking through her as she road that blissful finish. Her body quivered from the pulsating passion coursing through her, the legs the first to give way as they started convulsing. Weiss grabbed her body tight and lowered her to the wet floor, the leader grateful as she hooked her arms around the heiress, her lust still flaring as she pressed her nude body to the slender frame. As her head stopped spinning, her eyes meeting the steely blue, a smirk of satisfaction and bliss wrapping around her face as they gazed. Weiss leaned in to clean her hand off, the leader mustering up the strength to grab her wrist. She motioned her head towards the coated fingers, her body still recovering made it impossible for her to accomplish her goal. Weiss got the message, the heiress daintily dangling her fingers in front of Ruby's face, the leader engulfing the appendage, savoring the flavor of her own juices.

With a pop sound, she withdrew her suckling. "You taste... much better." The ice princess rolled her eyes at the comment. She took a curious lick, then washed the rest away.

"I will have to agree to disagree." Weiss caressed the leader's cheek, Ruby leaning into the comforting touch as she was enraptured in her love. "You're beautiful," the heiress genuinely professed, embarrassment spreading as her girlfriend was drinking in her orgasmic expression.

"Turn off the water," Ruby ordered, getting Weiss in her trap as she lifted the woman from behind, the leader always amazed how heavy her attacks were despite her lithe figure. She hoisted her girlfriend over her shoulder, the heiress quick to protest.

"Hey! Ahh!" Ruby tearing her way to the bedroom, slamming the both of them to their bed as playful squeals emitted from the couple. The leader coiled up in her lover's body, Ruby peering down onto Weiss. "From that glint in your eye, I can already tell round two is encroaching."

"You'd be correct," Ruby placing a chaste peck before nuzzling in the nook in the heiress' neck.

"Wait," Weiss bringing up the leader's head to meet hers. "I wanted to properly give back tonight. I'm fine without having a turn."

"A proper compensation is giving you to me. I want it all and I think you forget how much I enjoy hearing your voice towards the end," Ruby smirking, Weiss' frown dissolving as she threw her agenda out the window and dived continuously into the pent up lust between them.

Ruby and Weiss lay in their bed, the sheets soaking from many liquids, but the heat generated from their lovemaking kept the tent comfortably humid. The heiress lay in her chest, the snow-haired girl tapping out before the sun came up, making sure to spout 'I love you, Ruby.' multiple times before slumbering. The leader stroked the slender woman, her svelte body fun to wander about with her silky strands covering most of her. Ruby readjusted herself to the point of smothering the heiress, her partner not minding as she nestled herself deeper, a faint smile visible in the dawn glow. "_I want to keep that smile on you. If that means having to learn the full particulars of how a business is run then it's worth it. Your happiness is our happiness... Your love is worth this venture._"


	31. Yang: Reignition

Short notes this time. The artist that does all my art, Bakki, has been busy so no real update on the new White Rose pic. Luckily, he's not on a schedule like this story is. Here's some more Bumblebee with a little action flavor. As always, thank you for reading. Fav/follow and review. It's all much appreciated.

Yang: Reignition

The airship's normal blaring roar from the engines kept Yang from a more peaceful sleep. Some shuteye was needed, but she also wanted to not be conscious from the incessant flirting of her little sister and the heiress. She always heard from Blake that is was cute, but her perspective was familial skewed. Not having the energy, nor not wanting to hover over her sister's life, she concentrated on sleeping, envying Blake who was using her shoulder as a pillow for the flight back.

She knew that military budgets were stretched thin, but she would figure out away for more comfortable seating. The sad excuse for a cushion depresses as soon as her body takes a seat and not having a lush tush like Blake made it all the less enjoyable. The metal plating for the structure of the interior had much to be desired, the blonde wishing for some sort of recliner as she was mostly upright supporting Blake with her body.

It took awhile for Yang to wake up, not hearing too much other than 'bathroom' from her sister's mouth and wasn't present as she descended from the aircraft. The ride was long enough for all the sores on her body to thump against her, the dulling pain now annoying as the adrenaline of the mission was wearing off. To be polite, she let the Faunus take her time getting up, Yang never minding as her girlfriend was unbelievably cute when a yawn cracks her voice. Doing stretches after a workout seemed counter-intuitive, but her bones were thanking her as she relieved the pent up stress they endured.

A meek voice came from the nose of the ship, the blonde turning to see Weiss suspiciously calling her away from Blake. "Ya-yang, can I speak to you for a minute?"

As she was about to agree, a sweet contortion to her back let out a grateful sigh, following the heiress to leave the Faunus to her own rituals. Yang knew the mission was difficult, the signs showing on all of their faces, but the blonde did not see the wearied expression of huntresses from a long fight, but something more familiar. "What do you need?"

"So... you know how earlier this year, when you were asking for Blake's address, that we made an exchange for that information and a pass to use the room?" the ice princess whispered, the weakness in her voice so soft that Yang could barely ear it with going deaf from the engines.

"Yeah..." Yang lead on, hoping that the heiress would finish her thought with that lead in.

The blonde felt the uncomfortable silence. That familiar uneasiness that she's seen from both Ruby and Weiss, even felt it time-to-time herself, but her mind was far too fatigued to put it all together. '_I remember that day, but mostly because I was able to convince Blake to come live with me. It happened this year, but it feels like an eternity ago. All I remember was Ruby was having an extended stay and I was sore with Weiss because her and Ruby started... oh wait._'

"Oh, come on. Are you serious? Weiss... I want to sleep in my own bed today. Blake and I are exhausted and hurting." Yang pleaded her case, keeping her voice low so her girlfriend wouldn't get curious enough to come see her solicit to Weiss' sympathy. Stretching her arm to show the large scab brought a twinge of pain to the surface. A couple of Goliaths had cornered her, her over-cockiness getting the better of her and wanted to ride one for fun. Grasping onto the ivory tusk was her bane as the Grimm wasn't going to allow it, the beast thrashing about wildly as the brawler's grip was already handicapped from the light rain. One good twist of its neck had Yang bowling over on the ground, a patch of rough stone cutting past her aura and leaving her with a painful reminder of not to play around with the bigger Grimm.

Yang may have been exaggerating the symptoms, the flesh wound most likely healing over in a day or two, but she was tired until hearing the request, a spark of battle still left in her. With a more compassionate tone, the heiress responded, "Having slept on that bed quite often since you girls came back from your anniversary, I can ensure its level of cushiness. I wouldn't ask this if Ruby didn't earn something that deserves reciprocation to the love and tenderness I received. I know I don't have to ask, but it would be rude if I just locked the door and told you to leave... It wasn't part of the deal, but feel free to deny it if you want."

The little spark left as fast as it came, Yang knowing how most of the days were dominated by her and Blake to the point where she did hear rumors that her and Ruby were fighting and that's why they stayed in separate rooms so often. Her underhanded tactics of bribing filtered through as she knew Ruby was standing her ground as a proper girlfriend, her sister knowing the woman's weakness lies in a sugary disk and a cheeky plea to Ruby's pure nature. The final tipping point came from the demur nature of the inquiry, the heiress being charitable with giving an option to the older sister. Yang felt the shame creep up on her, hiding her blush so Weiss could see her guilt mix with defeat. "Just go. Go before I change my mind."

Not feeling like she deserved anymore than a simple 'thanks', she was surprised to see the heiress give her a hug. "Thanks, Yang. Feel free to come back after noon." With the echo of her boots disappearing, she could hear the enthusiasm of Weiss about to perform her more intimate of girlfriend duties.

Groans accompanied her wallowing in her misery. A fleeting memory of Blake came up saying one day that this deal with Weiss would come back to haunt her. "And it couldn't have come at a worse time," she mumbled under her breath, not noticing the Faunus was now beside her.

"What's all this about?" she asked, Yang's woeful complaining getting her anxious.

The blonde let out a deep sigh, the couple taking each other by the waist as they walked towards Beacon's dormitory. "It's nothing too bad. I'm just so... so sorry."

With the blonde being cryptic, it took the bedraggled Faunus awhile to click as to what was happening. "She pulled that pass, didn't she?"

"Yep. I'm going to cover my ears as we get closer to the room, so you're going to have to do the talking to whomever opens the door," Yang petitioned.

"It's fine," Blake's solemn tone not bringing Yang out of her regret. "Don't be sorry, by the way. If you didn't take initiative, we wouldn't be living together. If this is the last consequence from that bold action, then it's hard to be mad about it."

She glaceed down to meet her eyes, amber orbs glistening in the moonlight with her Faunus characteristics shining in the night. Below that was a warm smile and, on her cheek, a smudge of dirt. Seemingly in the clear of her stepping on boundaries, the blonde took another bold move. Giving a lick to her thumb, she rubbed the dirt off her cheek, the Faunus reciprocating as she reached above Yang's eyebrow. The blonde flinched, not knowing there was an injury there with a lot of her hurting. The Faunus not minding the blood as she wiped it to her vest, giving a small kiss to her cut before returning to directing them to Team JNPR's room.

A crawl went up her spine as she thought she heard a moan. Luckily, it was her paranoid mind mistaking a squeaky floor board to be the culprit. Yang cupped her ears, burying her hair in the large folds, and avoiding eye contact from the door across the hall as she stood outside their friend's room. She couldn't hear much, any noise muffled through sound waves hitting her bones. A few knocks on the door and a very sleepy Pyrrha opened the door. It was like watching a video on mute, observing the warrior's face go from tired, to shocked, to concerned, to an agreement as Blake explained the situation to her. The redhead nodded, swinging the door open and letting the other two in. As soon as she felt the door close behind her, Yang put her hands around Pyrrha's shoulders, bringing her in for a grateful bear hug.

"You have the biggest heart. Thanks for getting up to let us in."

"Don't think anything of it. How often do we have to drop the other two off so we can have our fun." Pyrrha leaned over her head to Jaune, the young man rubbing the small amount of sand in his eyes. "Amongst other things, I'm sure at the top of that list is a shower. I'll go get you some spare towels."

The redhead went over to her closet, digging in the back as the team leader got up for this weary introduction. "Hello..." the blonde man letting out another yawn before finishing. "Long time since you've been in here."

"Don't remind me," Yang groaned out. The blonde did a bottom-to-top look at the man. A warm smile, soft bedhead, and a body that she knows some of the other girls in school turn their head to get a second glance. However striking his natural features were, they seem to vanish in his brisk blue onesie that he wears proudly. "Still rocking your pajamas like a true man," Yang playfully teased, tugging at one of his top buttons revealing a bit of his chest.

"Watch it now. Any more buttons and Pyrrha will have a change of heart. Two buttons down means I'm feeling it," Jaune played back, the blonde wondering how Weiss could have shut him out without hesitation.

The redhead came back with the guest towels, fluffy and recently washed as Yang smelled the fabric softener when she pressed the material to her face. Blake thanked her and departed into the bathroom, Yang following like she normally would to help those hard to reach places. She didn't anticipate being snagged by her scarf, the hook being Pyrrha's hand and not looking like she was going to loosen her grip with the deceitful, hospitable smile being accompanied an arduous stare. "Yang, I would like you to please respect our rules. I know you sneaked in to visit Blake last time and had some fun. Jaune was staring at that door as if he could wish hard enough, he'd develop x-ray vision."

"If you didn't catch me, I probably would have. We'll never know now," the man knowing his girlfriend's humor as she looked to him with a more pleasant gaze. Yang thought she was so sneaky last time, remembering a certain moan that could have been audible past the shower's ambiance.

The blonde nervously rubbed the back of her head, flashing her own guilty smile as she was caught. "Sorry. Blake, take your time. I'm in no rush."

"Go get us some tea. After lying to me that it was OK to be in here together last time, this is the least you could do," Blake responded coldly as she closed the door. Yang knew she was getting off easy and happily went down to the lounge for a quick brewing. She was careful to tip-toe back, the other half of Team JNPR still in a coma, Pyrrha saying they were training non-stop for the partner sparing matches. Keeping by the light with a desk lamp, the three gathered around the couple's bed, Yang taking the floor to not make a mess of their sheets with whatever dreck may be lingering on her person.

The tea she prepared was splendid, the lukewarm sleepy liquid relaxing as she was enjoying conversation with good friends. Having been lost in her own relationship and team for awhile, it was nice to catch up with Jaune and Pyrrha, the pair only growing happier as a couple as time went on. Yang could have guessed from the times Ren and Nora would have to bunk elsewhere so they could have more intimate time together, but they seemed to have crossed that line along with her and Blake. They created something real together. The young boy, now turned man, with the strength and guidance of the woman next to him. The blonde didn't know if Pyrrha shaped him into a marvelous catch or she knew from the start, but she seems to be reaping the rewards as Yang watched her be charmed by his charisma.

Even Yang saw his appeal as he was telling of the elaborate training-turned-date that he planned for the celebration of the first time Pyrrha invited him to start sleeping in her bed. The warrior was at first against it until there were fireworks and food provided by Ren and Nora respectively. She may not have seen it in the bastion of light as a man would, but she appreciated the sincerity in the gesture. "Ironically, Pyrrha made me sleep in the spare bed as a reminder of what it was like before, in the dark times," the man stifling his laugh as he finished on a dead note.

"It was the saddest face I've seen from him as he thought I was serious. Halfway though the night, I slinked my way under the covers wearing a little less than I usually do."

"That was a surprise worthy of the title. I madly text Ren while in the room to get him and Nora out once I discovered what had found its way in my arms," Jaune recalled, the warrior giving him a quick peck on the cheek. Yang was envious. With the effects of their honeymoon anniversary slowly wearing off, the blonde was reminded that they were in a rough patch. During the mission, Blake did disclose more on former White Fang missions out there, the Faunus careful around the subject of Adam as they were killing time in their ambush site.

Seeing Jaune make Pyrrha effortlessly smile, made her long for the halcyon days where Blake would be spellbound by her, a red flag rising high as she let out deflated praise. "A class act from the both of you." A forced laugh came her as she raised her cup.

Pyrrha, being a good friend at the wrong time, asked the obvious follow-up question. "So, you and Blake doing fine?"

The question stung her heart, the answer twisting the dagger as she was thinking about the tension that Adam doomed upon them. "You know. We're having some ups and downs... mostly downs lately."

"Sorry to hear that," a protective tone in Jaune's voice as he consoled the blonde. "I hope it's nothing serious."

"It kind of... it kind of is," Yang slowly letting herself be vulnerable, hoping her friends would tell her her feelings were justified. "Not to divulge too many intimate details, but I'm jealous of a person from Blake's past. I thought I had solved it recently, but I can see I patched up a wound that needs more caring to. For the most part, Blake's kept her end of the bargain, but it seems that I'm the one who's unraveling now. I... I want to say I hate this person. His reappearance in our life threw a monkey wrench into our relationship and I promised to protect him from Blake, but I haven't even the slightest clue of what to do about him or myself."

A small silence lingered, Pyrrha breaking it as the hairdryer went off behind her, Blake finishing up grooming. "I can't help you. Jaune is the first relationship I've had."

"But I've had much experience with women," the scraggly man proudly said, the redhead staring him down with an expression as perplexed as Yang. "I was talking about my sisters. You especially should know the story of a lonely boy," he said while pointing a finger at his girlfriend. "A couple of my sisters were in the same position you're in. Stuck between a rock and a hard place with pressure coming from all ends. You know what I learned from them?" Yang leaned in, wanting nothing more than for Jaune to have the magical answer that would make this resentment go away. "You're fine." She let out a deep sigh as she knew she was expecting too much from an eighteen year old.

"Jaune!" she snapped in a hushed tone. "That wasn't helpful."

"No, I'm serious," the man on the defensive. "You are human despite how highly you think of yourself. Jealousy in an emotion that can be created by any circumstance, and judging from the worry in your tone, you're conflicted and that's alright. You want to practice what you preach, which is why I'm assuming your fists haven't already taken care of the problem. I'm obviously not a master at this, but I think you should stick to your promise. Make this troubled period easier on the both of you by protecting her from him."

Like the way he won over Pyrrha, Jaune bounces back with true conviction and good advice. She does feel crazy for wanting to break the neck of a man whom she never met. It scared her that this rage was building up from a shadow she can't strike. Jaune's words comforted her, knowing that she wasn't misstepping completely, giving her a proper path to follow.

"Well said," Pyrrha praising the man for undertaking the blonde's serious problem.

"I told you I wasn't full of one-liners," giving his woman a smooch. Blake soon arrived after the story. Yang took her place in the bathroom, hoping the Faunus wasn't going to have to give the couple a repeat of their relationship troubles. The refreshing feeling after a shower well earned was almost enough for the blonde to make a bed out of the towels and sleep on the floor instead of having to do the unending process of drying her massive mane. She hurried as best she could, not wanting to keep their cordial neighbors up any longer.

She exited the bathroom, tugging at the bottom of Pyrrha's spare night shirt, the nightwear unfortunately not taking into account that Yang is a few sizes larger in the chest. She crossed her fingers, in hopes a night with a midriff won't give her a cold, and thanked Jaune and Pyrrha one last time before she turned off the lamp. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she was already dozing off, not even the soft embrace of her partner deterred her as Blake curled into her.

Before she knew it, the academy was hustling and bustling as the students were getting ready for the weekend. Nora was polite keeping her cheerfulness to a dull roar, but it was enough for Yang to be woken up. Still groggy from last night, she forced herself to go back to sleep, her girlfriend not letting her. At first, she thought it was nerves twitching, the Faunus' feet jerking in her sleep. The blonde played it off as nothing until she heard whimpering come from her chest. Yang took a peek. Never had before seen Blake dreaming and thought would be a cute treat. To her dismay, it was more unpleasant than she was hoping.

Blake wore a frown furrowing deeper than Weiss the day she spilled coffee on her boots, the Faunus uncomfortable in her embrace. Yang shifted her posture and propped their pillow to ease her discomfort, but it didn't stop. '_No,_' she murmured out more than once, the blonde not knowing what more to do, but to wake her. She heard it wasn't the best option, the road to take being to let Blake ride it out, but she couldn't lay back anymore as a small tear formed in the corner of her eye. '_Adam,_' she muttered.

Yang thought it was trick of her ear, but with Jaune and Pyrrha sound asleep a bed over and most of the noise outside the door kept to a minimum, she couldn't have mistaken it. She brought her in closer, holding the Faunus tight, believing with all her heart that she could make this better. As the tear reached her skin, she couldn't quell the rage inside her flaring as she saw her girlfriend writhe in pain. "_He's done. I'm going to find him. I promised to protect Blake, but I can't do anything when he's in your dreams slowly turning them into a nightmare. This isn't a battle for me though. If I give Blake the opportunity, she'll do what she needs to with the information and with him._"

The blonde reached behind her head and grabbed her scroll, the time indicating it was still too early to bug Ruby and Weiss, but furiously sent multiple texts to make sure the heiress go the message. '_You be ready at noon o'one._'

The nightmare didn't last much longer, but it lingered longer than Yang wanted to permit with her word being tried to this degree. She counted on Blake not remembering it when she woke up, the blonde not wanting to see her post-scare and process what transpired. She slipped out of bed, making sure her girlfriend was still before getting ready for the day. As the Faunus was waking up, she told a quick lie about wanting to spend some time with Weiss, marching across the hall to grab the heiress.

There were furious knocks on the door, a small yelp coming from behind and the slamming sound following from the direction of the bathroom. The ice princess opened the door, giving her own yawn, but fully pressed, prim, and proper for someone who used the room majority of the night. In her pure white dress with black edging, both columns of fasteners were buttoned up, the heiress was ready to take on the day in her thigh-high, white high-heel boots. "What's this all about? If you need to go in there, Ruby's in the bathroom getting ready."

The blonde snatched her by the arm, dragging her as she explained the situation. "No need to fill in the gaps last I saw you. You're coming with me today."

"You can't be sore about what I did. We had a deal."

"I'm not mad about that. I'm mad about something else. I need your help, though," she growled out, the heiress wriggling out of her grasp causing the blonde to turn back to the resistance.

"First, you better change your tone if you want any help from me. I'm your friend and you better treat me like one instead of a doormat. Second, seriously, are you going out looking like that? Third, your eye is seething red if you haven't noticed," Weiss pointed out, calling attention to all of what Yang was choosing to ignore. She placed her hand over her eye, the wrong one as Weiss indicated on her own face. Remorse hit her, hating that Adam was already getting the best of her. The ice princess walked into her vision, an expression less serious than a moment ago. "Go back and get into some clean clothes. I'll wait in the training room. I know you usually do this with Blake, but I'm sure she's part of the reason you're tagging me along."

Yang always felt like the dullest bulb in the box when it came to her team, Weiss at least not as smug as she used to be when identifying people's mistakes. "Yeah... I'll be quick." The blonde hurried to the room, peeking into make sure Ruby wasn't half naked before parking herself in front of her dresser. She threw on her black shirt, and her cream collared top over it. After a series of loose accenting belts and strapping on her boots, she took out her purple pendant, securing her black strap of her top before leaving. Ruby none the wiser.

She joined the heiress in the training room, Weiss already dawned on practice gloves and ready for the brutality of Yang cathartically releasing her anger. Her fire spread, eyes glowing red as she went it with as hard as she could. After awhile, she started smiling as the heiress would flinch with each round of pounding into the targets, Blake's theory holding true. "You mind telling me what you were going to do when you were bullishly yanking my arm out of its socket."

"If I tell you, you promise not to tell Blake."

"Understood. Get on with it. My arms are getting tired."

Yang broke it down with Weiss, not leaving a stone unturned as she was gathering the information she knew about Adam and how she felt, the simplicity of telling someone else purifying in its own right. "It's why I need you, Weiss," Yang finishing as she was rubbing cooling cream on her knuckles. "I need your connections at the CCT to see if they could dig up anything on him. Also, wouldn't mind a friend to keep me in check which you're clearly capable of doing?"

"Glad you regard me so highly, but don't expect results. Finding Roman was particularly lucky because Blake can infiltrate White Fang areas."

"It's worth a shot. This is really the only thing I can do now. I've said all I can say and she has listened to my advice. It's not going to work this time. She has to face him... just to give her a chance to persuade him over to us," Yang speaking quieter as she realized Adam was key to Blake's recovery.

"Let's get going then. The CCT closes in a few and then we're left with the night staff," Weiss ordered, grabbing the blonde in similar fashion as she did to her earlier. Yang was happy to see her spirit burning hot, but extinguish quick as soon as the two were riding Bumblebee down to Vale. She had to ask the heiress to loosen her grip as she made it hard to breathe, Weiss reminding her this is what it's like when she hugs them.

Yang parked in front of the massive spire, the heiress whirling her hair around as Blake's helmet mashed her bangs together. "Oversized vibrator..." she cursed under her breath, the blonde hearing it clearly, but wanted Weiss to to say it to her face.

"What did you say about Bumblebee?"

The ice princess whipped around, getting inches from Yang's face with a scowl that made her skulk. Emphasizing every syllable, Weiss stepped up. "Over-Sized Vi-Bra-Tor." Every bit of ire she could feel as she breathed down her neck. As she turned to walk to the tower, the blonde noticed a weakness in the ice princess' step as she stumbled but caught herself as a knee gave out, Yang realizing this is why Blake walked funny after a ride. Yang held her laughter as best she could as she observed the heiress compose herself before entering.

Yang waited longer than expected, Weiss coming out with a wider smile on her face than she left, the blonde seeing an opening for a tease. "So did you finish yourself off in the bathroom?"

The heiress' happiness dropped, not liking the snide comment, but proceeded with her findings. "I have everything you need on my scroll. If you want me to go through it, you better stop your nonsense."

"Fine. It just never clicked in my head before. I got a place to stop at for some information gathering myself. You think you can do your research with a little bit of dance music in the background?"

"I live with you and Ruby. I can deal with a little dance music," Weiss said, hesitating before lifting herself atop of the motorcycle. As Yang was starting up the engine again, the heiress whispered in her ear. "Can you please not drive as fast nor rev your bike at stoplights? It gets scary being in the back when not in control."

"And why the last part?" Yang baiting the heiress for a rise out of her.

The result was less to her level of amusement. "Just drive, and if you let any of this conversation slip out, I will end you." The threat hit all the right anxieties and Yang behaved... mostly. She didn't say anything about wheelies.

They parked outside the usual alleyway, nice to see some things never change as she entered the familiar setting. The men in black fedoras and red ties scrambled, Yang appreciating that her reputation still holds dear to the henchmen that work for Junior. As she walked past the massive double doors, she took in the proverbial scent of bad cologne and the ambient smoke.

"Nice of you to barge in like always, Blondie!" Yang could hear from the bar area, descending the obnoxious flight of stairs to meet him.

"Who's this and where are we?" Weiss asked, clinging closer to the brawler as she was in a foreign element.

"This man is Junior and this is his club. Back when I used to come around here..."

"You mean before you were banned," the man corrected, idly listening as he was cleaning out a glass with a rag.

"Aww, you remember," she taunted back, returning back to the heiress as she explained. "I'd come and dance here and also got a little bit of special service because your gross clientele wanted a chance at me. More importantly, he also is one of the best information brokers this side of Remnant."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, but you're paying for drinks today. Business has been a bit slow this month. Henchmen need wages too," Junior explained, crossing his arms in his defiance.

"Darn. Alright then, I'll take a whiskey and coke." As soon as her order passed her lips and hard cough came from her friend next her her. A glare that is usually reserved for the exceptional times she's been a dolt, Yang remembering their mode of transportation. She let out a nervous laugh as she changed her order. "Make that a coke and coke? And you, Weiss?"

"Some mineral water, please." Weiss flipped her scroll out to sift through her information as she waited. Yang looked over her shoulder, the windows flying from every-which-way, but the blonde stopped her as she saw the red giveaway.

"That's him." Weiss enlarged the photo, Yang's fury been built up as she saw Blake's ex contentedly getting away from a crime scene.

Junior came back with the drinks. "That will be twenty-three Lien, ladies."

Yang would have done a spit take if she had imbibed her beverage. "Are you serious?"

"It's been slow. Now pay up. Consider it also a fee when I help you out." Yang scoffed, but threw credits on the counter, the blonde not liking his next response either. "No tip?"

She tossed a few more and pivoted a window towards Junior. "Have you seen this man?"

"Yeah. I've seen him lingering about in the background or next to Roman a couple of times we made some arrangements. He's quiet, didn't talk much. Good guy to do business with as he knew what he wanted."

"Happy to see you're on good terms. Can we meet him?" Yang taking a long shot question, but would be kicking herself later if it turned out to be this easy.

"Meet him? He meets me. You should know how The White Fang works by now. They don't call, they don't arrange a meeting. They show up when they need something."

"Anything you can give us that could lead us to him, then?"

Junior played with the scruff of his beard, Yang hoping there was some clue hidden to this elusive man. "All I know is he is around for the big shipments of cargo. Anything minor is not worth your time. Have your friend there look for any activity around major transportation routes. Boats, the old mines, that kind of thing."

Weiss directed her searching as requested, bringing up a few results that queued their inquiry. "Recently activities on the docks, a couple industrial district buildings, and a pizza shop?" the heiress questioning her own data as she read the last spot allowed.

"Militias got to eat too," the man nonchalantly told. "Also, it plays as a good front for laundering money. Allow me to narrow the search for you. Go to the docks in two days at two in the morning."

"What's happening there?"

"Major munitions run. Reason I know is because I have some on that barge. All of it Atlas military. I know you can tell where this is headed. " Junior touched upon the subject of mechanized arsenal, Yang liking the lead, but waned to know for sure, not wanting to get Blake's hopes up.

"How can we know for sure?" Yang directing a message towards Junior, but the heiress faster to the punch.

"According to picked up communications, a few higher ups will be there to supervise. They specifically mention the... well I'd rather not say it, but the man with horns," Weiss remarked, wondering what kind of slings and verbal jabs The White Fang say behind their leaders' backs.

"Looks like my job is done. Now leave without causing a ruckus." Junior asked as polite as he could to the blonde. Weiss and Yang took to the exit, the man hollering out once more, "Be sure to not mess up my shipment. I've been running thin on bazooka rockets!" Weiss and Yang road back on Bumblebee, the sky a little darker as she was deep in thought.

*-Blake-*

The weekend was rather different for the Faunus, never having spent this long time both without Yang and one-on-one time with Ruby. Blake didn't mind not having her girlfriend around, but wondered what she could be doing with Weiss for such a long period of time. Luckily, Ruby was not deterred by half of the team gone, happy to have Blake show her some books and even read them along together, the Faunus having trouble keeping up with how quick a reader she was.

Flopped on their bellies, taking the story a page at a time, the door opened, Yang and Weiss at the entrance with stronger expressions than usual. The heiress nudged her girlfriend in, followed by the beckoning of her leader. "Ruby, come with me."

The short-haired girl doubled back to wonder if she knew what was happening, Blake just as perplexed as she was. "Sure... Can we get some food?"

"We'll get something," Weiss answered, closing the door behind them, leaving the Faunus and a blonde with an anxious quality about her.

"Blake, mind if you come to the desk?" Yang meekly asked, Blake growing evermore curious with the air so tense. The blonde held out her scroll. "I may have found Adam."

The Faunus felt her body stiffen at the sudden declaration, her mind hitting a wall as she couldn't process what was said. "What do you mean found him?"

"I did some digging of information with Weiss. We were able to track a spot we're almost certain of he'll be at tonight. I know what you're going to say. Why be so hypocritical?" Yang hitting the bullseye with her posing question. "Because it was hurting you. I saw what he was doing to you and you were killing yourself just to get a drop of information on him. Now, before you chew me out, answer me this. Have you been happy since I stopped you?"

Either Yang knows her too well or she prepared every possible outcome with the heiress, but she was about to tell her off for being so sanctimonious. She remembers poorly of the days she spent in front of a screen. In a spiral of misery, fear, and anguish, it was hardly her finest hours. She was starving herself with her obsession, forgetting food and drink at times without realizing. Foregoing sleep was the worst, the Faunus growing paranoid as her mind desired rest. The months passing since their anniversary were some of the best for a multitude of reasons, but knew she wouldn't be as happy as she was without the blonde intervention. Yang's persistence and belief in her was the daily reminder as she reveled in her romance, the effects trickling down to the rest of her life.

"Yes..." she confessed softly.

"Then I've done my job and you've done yours. But... a few days ago, you were having a nightmare. You looked distraught and you mentioned him in your sleep," the blonde explained, Blake feeling a crawl in her spine as she was reminded of it. Some of the images were burned in her memory, each one painting a series of tormenting emotions that she's had more than once. She kept this to herself, Blake not seeing the point in dwelling on something that didn't occur. But if Yang was bringing it up, it might have been noticeable to the conscious ones.

"I... I have. There's a lot of running on my part, but he catches me. There's blood... hatred... death sometimes..." The Faunus trailed off, Yang taking her hand, the gentle warmth flowing into to her, comforting the bleak feeling.

"I can't protect you in your nightmares, but, on the other hand, I don't like to see you getting hurt. That being said, I'm leaving this decision to you. On my scroll, is everything you need to know. It's pretty much the only choice we have," Yang giving the Faunus her opportunity to see him. Blake didn't want to seem selfish, immediately wanting to take the scroll and see her details. The Faunus told herself a more benevolent excuse of not wanting to waste the blonde's time.

She placed it on the table, taking a moment to center herself, anticipating the many disappointing information about Adam. She opened the files, maps, pages of multiple sighting of him, personal emails, and many of the military and Schnee Dust Company cameras getting glimpses of him. Yang motioned her in the seat, going over in-depth detail on what she had found. Blake knew half the information based on her own experience and assumptions, but was conflicted on how the heiress' company was able to gather more information behind the curtain.

"I would be doing a disservice to tell you that this is a guarantee, but the docks tonight will definitely have White Fang personnel there. It's about as good as we could get," Yang finished informing, Blake astonished by the blonde's research.

"Yang... this is great. All of this work... for me," the Faunus' brain functioning as best it could with the processing of information.

"Yeah. I vowed to protect you, but I did all I could and it's not cutting it anymore. We needed to be actively searching again instead of the inevitability we'd run into him. I usually wake up after you, but I didn't want to chance it seeing you shed tears in your sleep." Yang weakly smiled, Blake grasping how hard it was for her partner to ride a thin line of protecting her from him and accepting her limitations as her girlfriend. The Faunus dove into her, Yang reciprocating as she pulled her in tighter for her embrace.

"Because of what you said, I was going to push the nightmares back and try my best to forget about them. Me doing what you did would have only made it worse. I have my doubts about this as well. I'm scared about meeting him too. Thank you."

"Don't thank me just yet. We don't know how this ends. I'm trying to be positive about it, but... I can't shake this gut feeling... wondering what your reaction will be when you're face-to-face," Yang lowly confessed, the Faunus bringing her head out of her blonde mane to see her eyes contradicting the smile. They were scared, her partner having her front up transparent up close.

"I will have strong emotions, but I won't leave nor second guess us. I'd hope my words will convince you, but maybe this will speak louder." Blake leaned in, Yang receiving the message as she closed her eyes, lips connecting passionately as she made her own promise.

The blonde pushed back, stopping the loving session. "We have to stop. I'm sure Ruby and Weiss are outside. I know I probably shouldn't have told anyone, but I think we may need some support." The door knocked as Yang was correct in her assumption, the younger couple coming in with cups of coffee in each hand.

"I figured we were having a long night. I hope these are to your liking," Weiss handing over the warm brew to the other two. The warmth from the cup paled in comparison to the fervor from her friend, Blake forcing her eyes not to well up as she saw Yang's efforts to wrangle the team for her cause.

"I brought some dinner. Everyone grab a sub," Ruby turning around, her hood lined with a full foot of food. As everyone was sat around Blake's desk, Yang took her time and explained how the rest was going to go down, Blake's cheerfulness slowly fading at the time approached, the red eyes on Adam's mask staring her down.

The team kept their profiles low, waiting in the hush of night as they spectated from a nearby building. The port of Vale wasn't the best lit district, but Blake stayed vigilant, making sure even the slightest shadow wasn't making it past her vision. Having been here on past missions, she knew that the mountains of storage containers piled on top of one another were excellent cover, the small gaps between them making it hard for even security cameras to get a better glimpse. Aside from the occasional semi making its way up the only road to the highway, it was silent. The stillness in the air unnerved her, the Faunus losing her fortitude with the lack of any activity. As her spirit was waning, she was feeling relief. She knew she had to face Adam, but no part of her was ready.

"_Two years. Thinking it like that makes this feel all the more pointless. She must have rubbed off on me because, back then, I wouldn't have this brand of optimism. It's not like the situation between Faunus and the world had gotten better. Then again, there is no levee stopping people as their recruitment rallies still draw a lot of Faunus, so what would give him a reason for leaving when so many think just like him? Actually... I was hoping it would be me. I would follow Yang to the ends of Remnant. I love and respect her as a person, as a huntress, and as my lover. And that's sort of the way I thought he saw me."_ Ears pinned under the bow as the closure of her last relationship was unraveling. "_I did love Adam and I he loved me, right? We were happy, right? He respected me, right? I don't expect everything I ask of my partner to followed through, Yang still slapping my butt in public when she knows I hate it. But for something like changing from an alliance that's warped its message into rebelling against the kingdoms' governments should be taken as more than circumscription. Not just completely discrediting it as me being a coward..._"

"Hey."The Faunus startled at her girlfriend's low voice, the blonde placing a hand on her shoulder. "You see anything?"

"No. Whatever is on that barge, though, is probably important. To keep the operation smooth, they'll want to time it as close as possible to the mark. Police tend to eventually find out if you stay long enough," Blake explained.

"Sounds like that came from experience," Yang retorted, Blake embarrassed that she still remembers her old procedures.

"Yeah..." her expression downcast as she gave her eyes a momentary rest.

"Anything you need me to do?" Yang asked earnestly, Blake not hungry or fatigued. She merely wanted what she was already providing.

The Faunus reached over, twining her fingers with Yang's. "I'm fine. Just stay as you are."

"Alright then," the blonde swiftly lifting her hand to place a kiss on the back of Blake's. "I know what you said, but mind if I sit down? My blondness doesn't exactly scream stealth."

Blake smirked, the first time she's found levity in her plight. "Yeah. I'll join you for a bit. I don't think I've moved in an hour." The cold roofing material wasn't to her liking, but Yang's aura was offsetting the unpleasantness as she was transferring her heat, their hands still connected as they sat with their legs crossed. Unfortunately, it couldn't be said about her turmoil bursting at her seams.

"So... how do you think this will go down?" Yang queried, Blake welcoming getting out of her head for some small talk.

"Like it always does. We barge in, things get out of our immediate control, and we make it up as we go. As for them, massive rigs will be used as transport. Luckily, those don't seat too many. The amount of White Fang henchmen would be kept to a minimum. A few guys to drive and operate that crane over there while people like Adam talk about the next time and check cargo," Blake deadpanned, knowing huntress situations tend to end it a lot of battling and collateral damage. "Do we need to be careful around your friend's package?"

"Don't worry about him. He's just a big baby. Always crying about something. Luckily, this time it's The White Fang," Yang replied.

"Then that just leaves the elite members since the henchmen shouldn't be a hassle without restraint." She felt some weight of this mission lift off her shoulders, not knowing if she could get Adam to talk to her if she's not going all out.

In the comfortable silence, a first of many vehicles started arriving. Like a flash sale, the place was mobbed with White Fang and the sort, Blake's fortitude taking a hit as she noticed the black figure running across the rooftops. It was accompanied by two other shadows, but she could see the red spikes featuring in the distance. Without realizing, her hand clamped down on Yang's, the blonde not wincing or jerking away, but squeezed back. Yang seemed to be transfixed as well, not commenting until Adam slipped carefully into the building.

"I'll go get the other two," the brawler getting up, the Faunus not letting loose as she tugged her back.

Blake didn't stray her eyes from the scene, not wanting Yang to see the fear in her eyes, ignorant to the shake in her voice that said it louder. "Pl-please keep an eye on me."

"I always do," Yang reassured, placing a kiss on the back of her head before pulling her up to meet her lilac orbs. "I'll have your back... always, but you don't need it. You are Blake Belladonna. Between you breaking up with him and meeting me, there was a woman that was strong enough to get into the most prestigious academies in Remnant, survive on the streets of Vale, and lure a certain blonde into your orbit. You got this."

It may not be the most eloquent of pep talks, but Yang's eyes were outshining her words as the credence was in her stare, wishing she could believe in herself as her girlfriend steadily does. She followed her, the blonde bringing out her scroll for the mapping of the building. "We may not know where they'll be, but we can take a guess that the henchmen will be doing the busywork. So Blake and I will take care of the perimeter ones. Easy enough. Ruby and Weiss, we'll let you decide when enough henchmen have been subdued to initiate the elite. Pick one and fight. Blake, you find your target."

"Right," the younger couple said in unison, Blake initiating the others to follow as they split up. Weiss and Ruby were a few steps back, the blonde following her girlfriend up rooftops, watching the movements of the men on look out. With a few hushed calls, they pounced on them, making their attacks as mute as possible, the water nearby only able to muffle so much of armor crashing to concrete.

A few more men were taken out and they were in the warehouse, massive crates covering them as the Faunus was sneaking a peek. She motioned the other two in, Ruby and Weiss taking to the second floor, watching as well from a few broken windows. There weren't too many henchmen left, a few standing guard and more taking the lighter cargo out of the barge that arrived. With Blake's eyes shifting to every inch of the scene, she couldn't find Adam. There was an overly-muscular man with a face mask, a girl in a black dress and masquerade mask, and a man in a suit. Unfortunately no Roman, but that was to be expected.

"Where is he?" she hissed under her breath.

A hammer clicked behind her, the Faunus diving out of the way before the projectile struck the crate. The ringing of the reverberating metal rang in her ears, Blake freezing as she noticed the deep red color of the blade, the handle buried in the box. She traced it back to a pair of boots echoing in the hollowed building. A hand grasped the hilt, a couple of flashy spins as the man placed the sword near the sheath in his other hand. She recognized the stance, the man behind the Faunus mask addressing his opponents. "Nice to see you again, Blake."

"Yang!" she screamed out, bouncing herself away as Adam flashed struck at the crate, the wooden case splitting cleanly in two and they were pushed to the opposite side of his target.

"Ruby! Plan B already!" the blonde shouted out. A series of metal clashing and bullets firing commenced as the fight was underway. Yang did her task and left to fight someone else as Blake stood apart of her former mentor. She circled his as he matched her steps, the Faunus not taking an eye off him, Adam too clever of an adversary to be taken lightly. Gambol Shroud unfolded in her hands, keeping to its dual bladed form to match with him.

"What a reunion. Would have preferred something quieter. But considering the way things ended last, this was the only outcome, wasn't it?"

"It doesn't have too." Blake hating that her voice cracked when her face stayed stern. "Adam, please drop this. The cause doesn't mean anything if starting another war is the ultimate end."

"The only thing these humans seem to understand is a war. Whether it be the never ending battle with the Grimm or the petty battles they have with each other, this always seemed to solve the problem. The Faunus will be not only be equal, but surpass it so long as we keep the path. Roman has a vision that will make the world run a lot more fair, part one being to dethrone the humans from their kingdom."

"Roman is a madman that craves chaos and will abandon the organization once he's accomplished his own goals. He's manipulated the system into this twisted being that grows out of hate, not in the belief in change. Any and all of White Fang members will be punished when a tide is turned and you are all tried for crimes that will land you in prison. It doesn't have to be like this, Adam. I left... You can walk away from all this."

Blake might as well have talked to a wall, Adam readjusting the grip on his sword, Wilt hungry as the crimson blade glimmered in the moonlight. "We're making progress. I will not quit halfway through to success."

The man attacked, Blake taking her large sheath at defending herself. She couldn't see his eyes, but guessed they were locked in the same intensity as hers. "Please. Don't make me fight you."

"You can stop the humanitarian thing. It doesn't work." Adam pulling out Blush and aiming for the Faunus' stomach. Blake was quicker to dodge as she deflected his sword down, the couple shots fired into the concrete, the Faunus taking a more aggressive approach as her ex wasn't holding back. With a loud grunt she swung back with all her might, ultimately letting him know she's done talking. Unknowingly, a tear escaped her lids, Blake too heated to acknowledge her sadness as she took the offensive, sparks flying as Gambol Shroud was connecting.

Adam didn't seem to be challenged as she was backing up defensively, firing off a couple shots at her feet to keep from corning him. "You're too predictable." Adam rushed her as she missed her chance to defend, feeling the tip of his blade slice through the top of her thigh, a strap to her legging coming undone. The edge ripped through the hard muscle, Blake feeling the blood pour out of her as the air was stinging the just produced wound. Blush seemed to out of ammo, the horned-man using his fists to connect or grab Blake as they were in combat. Blake saw what two years of experience in a struggle had given Adam an edge, the Faunus regretting Beacon's classes as those weren't giving her the information needed to counter back.

Blake's wrist was caught as Adam forced her guard upwards. A punch with the added weight of Wilt bent her forward and a backwards kick had her barreling through the metal grating of the warehouse. The Faunus transformed her weapon into a pistol, tuck and tumbling her way to her feet, firing at the makeshift hole that outlined her back. She knew Adam was too smart for something so obvious, but kept her eyes diligent as she looked down the blade sights.

In front of her were the buildings, behind her, the ocean. She didn't have to cover her back, but a shuffling came to her left, Adam striking from the shadow of a storage box. As she blocked the hard strike from her ex with her sheath, she changed the cartridge of dust within her blade. In a flash, she executed her semblance, a puff of purple smoke exploded as one of her copies detonated. She backed up, having her vision impaired, but liking to hear the suffering cough of inhaling smoke. Transforming to a crescent hook, she whipped the length of her ribbons in. She felt it snag, giving a harder tug as she felt the tension.

There was a cry behind the smokescreen. As it dissipated, she saw blood dripping off his gloves, the liquid dotting the pavement was it flowed from the top of the arm. Blake was relieved to see it was the arm he holds Wilt with, her ex putting pressure on the wound, Blush holstered permanently as he took his weapon in his hand. It wasn't his dominant, but he seemed confident in his stance as Blake stared him down. Nothing new to say, nothing to report as the wounded fighters were wanting to lick their wounds, not sure if there was enough will in her to close the emotional wounds as he lifted his blade.

Blake let herself be baited, impatient in waiting for Adam to make the first mistake. Adam was clearly practicing for this as he was agile enough to keep up with Blake, severing his blows with ones of her own. She flipped on her semblance, keeping the clones coming as she used the smoke to keep her hits from being seen at the last second. She produced two as a time, able to both land a blow and burst a purple cloud around him. She jumped back, wrangling Gambol Shroud as it transformed in a scythe, throwing it in the cloud aiming for the legs. It caught, but it tugged back this time, Blake stumbling forward as the ribbon wrenched back.

Blake's instincts aided her as she used her cleaver to protect her chest, Wilt striking at her face. The smoke cleared, Gambol Shroud hooked to the hilt, the chain wrapping around it until proved useless to her as it was in his control. At an impasse, both kept their ground, Blake in a tighter spot than she'd like with half of her weapon immobilized. She looked beyond the mask, even after all the fighting, she saw the man she used to know, giving one more chance to end this peacefully. "Leave... knock it off and we can leave."

"Poor choice of words," he gritted though his teeth. Blake didn't anticipate the injured arm to carry out his counter. What had the momentum of what felt like a ton of bricks, connected to her temple. Blackness hit her vision, her consciousness leaving her as in the background was more screaming and the sound of Faunus fighting, engulfed in the coldness of her collapse.

* * *

><p>"Blake! Blake! Wake up!" The voice called out to her sounded so far away, but felt the force of her call on her face as the voice strained. It came up from her gullet, the Faunus too weak to try and keep her contents down. She turned over, a small packet of water spewing from her. A coughing spasm interrupted the heaving, someone straightening her on all fours, pulling raven hair back as she continued emptying the watery spew that sat in her stomach and airways. She stood above some of the dinner, but much more liquid as she was catching her breath, a warm hand caressing her back.<p>

"Let it all out?" the voice now connecting to Yang's as her body was switching from being in an emergency.

"Ye-yeah," she weakly said, taking another spit to the floor to attempt to get the taste out of her mouth. No longer wanting to look at a greenish bile anymore, she shuffled herself away from her mess pile, Yang determined to keep the Faunus close as she moved with her. The lack of noise had her curious, Blake looking up to see the younger couple at her side, Weiss holding Ruby's hands to comfort her as she saw what happened. A large sniff of mucus had her pan to the woman next to her. Yang had fresh tears running down her face. Easy to miss, however, as the rest of her was soaked through the bone, her wild hair wrapping around the length of her body. Seeing the blonde mane trickling to the floor, she felt her own wave of cold as she was sopping wet.

Before she could inquire, Yang already brought her in tight, the brawler activating her aura as if she could mind read. Blake embraced her back, desperately wanting to warm up, but wanted no place other to be than in Yang's arms. "What happened?"

"They got away aside from the man in the suit. I was able to get him to submit. Ruby and Weiss did well, but they slipped between their fingers."

Blake was proud to here a White Fang personal will be behind a plastic case soon, but the burning question she wanted extinguished, and asked next. "And Adam?"

"Gone. I was given the choice of save you or capture him once he tossed your limp body into the water. That pest Oobleck really saved the day. I did my best with CPR and I brought you back." Blake's eyes popped as she heard Yang's explanation, her heart skipping a few beats and keeping the speeding pace as she said to herself.

'_I could've died. I remember a punch and..._' Blake trailed off, the pieces playing themselves out as she replayed what could've happened. '_With no hesitation, he threw me into the water, probably cornered by Yang and not wanting to fight the rest of us, threw me as his scapegoat to escape. He didn't care. He's gone..._' Blake remembered the battle damage from the rest of her team. Ruby nursing a wounded hand and Weiss' battle skirt has seen the brunt of a heavy dust explosion. '_If it wasn't me, it could've have been any of them. My optimism could have killed us...me..._'

Blake broke away to see her girlfriend, a line of blood rolling down the corner of her mouth and a bruise forming along her collarbone. '_I could've killed you._'

The strong smile her girlfriend wore she knew was for her sake, but she felt herself break down as the person she once called mentor and lover didn't even consider her offer and went for his sword first. She was so naive about it, thinking it could be anything, but the obvious that it blinded her. She could have anticipated his attack, threw up an elbow, do anything other than trust Adam for that split second. She failed and hated herself for it. Tears welled up in her eyes, Yang's lilac orbs flooding as she empathized with her friend. Blake crashed into her blonde's shoulder, the partner embracing the trembling Faunus, soothing her with the only words that could help.

"Go-ahead. Take your ti-time," Yang's own sadness expressing itself as the Faunus' voice was breaking into incoherent babble.

"I'm so-sorry," it came blubbering out. "I'm sorry." Her voice cracking as she buried herself into Yang's form.

Blake couldn't tell how much time passed, but was long enough for her well to run dry. She barely had the energy to walk, but didn't want any patronizing efforts by the others. She walked unaccompanied, albeit a few meters back from the rest, but she wanted to be alone. She didn't want to talk or look the others in the eye with what she put them through. "_I don't know whether or not is was a good thing that Yang's influenced me so much. I would've beaten Adam if I wasn't going for the possibility of keeping him alive. Plenty of logical reasons to keep him alive like White Fang headquarters or location of Roman, but I know the selfish reason for me going nonlethal."_ Blake beating herself up as she looked towards the swaying mane of her girlfriend, the trio in a slump as their conversation was also on a cold silence. "_I failed you, Yang._"


	32. Weiss: Stubborn Cold

Three weeks fly by so fast sometimes. In the case of you readers, that might be a good things. Anyways, thanks to all who continue to read, share, and review. The White Rose picture has been delayed, but should be out around the first couple episodes of season 3. It's finally here and I know I'm pretty stoked on it. Small disclaimer on this chapter on dust properties. I took some artistic liberties and guesses on what dust can do for humans. Hope everyone is cool with that. Love you all, fav/follow and good reading.

Weiss: Stubborn Cold

The air of Team RWBY's room might have well as had a rain cloud in it. In the aftermath of The White Fang sting attempt, Blake slumped into a crippling depression, the Faunus going stag to any of the normal activities and meeting up for the occasional meal. They were all worried about her, but luckily a despondent Blake was not impulsive like she was when she's frustrated. Weiss was getting a good examination of her friend as she was sharing the room with her. The Faunus kept a book closer to her face, the pleasant air she usually gets while reading felt forced as she was shutting herself from the world. The only time the heiress could get a response from her was from the occasional sneeze.

"Ah-choo," Weiss stifling the squally expulsion as another one crept up on her.

"Are you gong to admit you're sick yet?" her friend deadpanned from the other side of the room.

"No," the ice princess declared in defiance. "You didn't hear anything. Ruby and I are still very tense for the partner sparing match-ups in the coming days. Due to the luck of the draw, we're one of the final matches and I don't don't think Ms. Goodwitch is going to be lenient for something who's schedule is tighter than her frown when she catches us in a food fight. I want a good mark on this one. It's not everyday that we get to try for our final grades. I know Ruby has been looking forward to it."

"I get your concern, but you especially can't hide it. You make me look like I have a nice tan in the right light," Blake snidely commented. Weiss wanted to fire back, but she'd be lying to herself that her fair complexion wasn't only a signal characteristic of her figure, but something she holds with pride. Her girlfriend consistently comments how easy it is to see her flustered the times Ruby got under her skin. "Whatever you have needs to run its course. I don't see why you're not taking it easy."

"It may not look it, but I've slowed down. I'm lying in a bed talking with you, meandering about on my scroll trying to entertain myself when I should be training with Ruby. I can't thank Yang more for taking over certain duties so I can try and hide it." Weiss felt grateful to the older sibling as she too was not to be fooled. Only Ruby could have the wool pulled over her eyes so easy because Weiss was the one telling her to ignore it.

"Don't thank her just yet. There's not a doubt in my mind that in between the clashes of weapons, Yang is telling Ruby to come back and take care of you in proper," Blake droned on, eyes not straying from the pages as she shifted to her side while reading.

"It's not that obvious," she sniped back, sniffling a round of mucus before reaching over to the bookshelf for another tissue.

The comment brought the book down for the Faunus to address her directly. "Your nose is so red that I can't tell if it's from the irritation of the sickness or the amount of tissues you've been using to blow it, your face is flushed, the cough to spew seems to have some of your lumg along with a little phlegm, and whenever you're around me, you feverish temperature make you hotter than Yang."

The rose in her cheeks faded momentarily as Blake laid out how transparent she has been. She hoped Ruby wasn't as perceptive as some of the concealer and makeup wasn't enough to trick the Faunus. Blake could see the face values, but there were some others Weiss was able to hide like her chills and had been combating fatigue with coffee. She noticed the wastepaper basket that she moved from her desk to her bed, the bin slowly overflowing with bundles of tissues that would need to be thrown out, Weiss almost tossing her clean one in her hand if not for a globule of mucus making its way down her nostrils.

"I'm still not admitting it," Weiss being defiant till the end, Blake rolling her eyes before returning to her book. "I don't know why she wants to intrude. She'll get sick too if she keeps it up."

"Because Yang used to take care of her as a kid. She probably wants to pay it forward with nothing, but the love and care she received from her sister. Don't resist it too much. Speaking from experience, Yang was persistent and it actually did feel really nice to be tended to with such attention and affection that it grew on me. Even when I requested to do it myself, the fact she asked if she could do it for me meant a lot when I was under the weather."

Although Weiss found it to be overbearing at the time, she now was longing for freshly made chicken soup to warm her insides. She could do without Ruby spoon feeding her as Blake was treated to, but the Faunus' illness was making it hard to hold her head up at the time. A vibration came from her scroll, a small smile forming as she read Ruby's message of bringing back an ice pack and a fresh cup of her favorite tea was loving enough. Still, she couldn't horde time that was so precious to her partner at the moment. "She has a lot more to worry about other than me. As thoughtful as she is to keep me in mind, I wish she could keep me on a lower list of priorities for the time being."

"That might be in their nature. Those two are chivalrous. Always thinking of others before themselves," Blake commented. Weiss glanced over, the Faunus' tone not matching her ripe grin as she was no doubt thinking of the many courteous deeds her girlfriend performed for her. The heiress was also taken to a few choice memories of Ruby's clumsy idea of tender, loving care. As ill-starred as it was for her leader to try and keep her comfortable by swaddling her in a mountain of blankets, she seemed to be making smarter decisions as she came in the room a few minutes later with said tea.

Ruby was shimmering with the light glaze of sweat, Yang doing her job in proper as they seem to have had a decent sparring. Balancing tea with one hand and an ice pack in the other, the leader leaned into the tent, Weiss instinctively backing up and covering her mouth as her girlfriend's lips puckered. "No, Ruby. I'm going to get you sick."

A pompous smirk spread across her face, the heiress realizing she revealed her hand with that spontaneous admittance. "Thanks, Yang. It worked."

"I told you it would. Aren't you glad you listen to your big sister sometimes?" Yang beaming her own satisfied smile as her violet eyes met the ice princess. The blonde sat on her bed, privately talking with Blake to give Ruby and her some privacy. Her girlfriend did listen about not getting close, placing her palm over her forehead, the hand holding the ice refreshing as she was feeling uncomfortable the whole day.

"I liked that you admitted it, but I would have found out based on this. You're warm," Ruby explained, grabbing the ice pack out of her pocket and placing it atop Weiss' head.

"Don't get carried away. It's a cold. I'm still functional and have been doing some light studying. I'll probably be better tomorrow."

"Don't rush it. If it is just a cold, there's nothing more you can do," the leader taking a textbook and casually tossing it to the side of the bed. "That being said, I don't think you should come with the rest of us girls to harvest the red sap tomorrow."

"Oh, don't be ridiculous. Forever Fall is a beautiful lush forest with not too many Grimm prowling about. And frankly, a little manual labor on my part is humbling. It's honest work and exercise, and I'm going. With grades and rankings constantly shoved down our throats, a quiet, noncompetitive gathering of nectar amongst friends is something I welcome. Especially when I know I've been giving Jaune and Pyrrha the cold shoulder since I found out they were our opponents." Weiss hasn't been proud of regressing back to the freshmen days at Beacon, but her over-competitiveness was seeping out as she knew the great warrior and her blonde boy wonder were true competitors not to be taken lightly.

"I'm not guilt free either. I may or may not have been playing mind games with Jaune. Having him overhear certain tall tales of us on missions that were stretching the truth a bit, but Pyrrha centers him well. I'm not sure how effective I've been," Ruby confessed, the ice princess superciliously happy to hear that her girlfriend's spirit to win taking an equally devious turn.

Weiss brought the cup to her lips, cooling off the lukewarm top before taking a sip. The sweet tea hit the spot perfectly, but knew she had to repress her genuine attitude towards the gesture to get her point across. "Ruby. I'm fine. You caught me and that's good enough, but I don't need you to be overworking yourself because of me. Concentrate on what matters and everything should fall back into place. Can you do that for me?"

Her voice was soft and stern, the leader deflated momentarily as Blake's intuition of knightliness shined through. She grabbed the ends of Ruby's fingers, hoping to soften the blow. "Yea-yeah. I'll stop. I didn't mean to go overboard."

"Your heart is in the right place. I'm just not a person that likes being doted upon. As nice as it is to snap my fingers and have a maid or butler be at my side ready to do anything, I don't want that from you. You're my girlfriend. As much as I love your help, I prefer you to also be differentiated from me. I love us, but I also love seeing you be... well, you." Weiss proud that she got her sentiment across until she felt a tickle in her chest, a few harsh coughs belting from her dismantling everything she tried to do. Ruby massaged her back, the act soothing, but Weiss was quick to rebuff and stand her ground.

"I'll do it then." Ruby still being defiant as she placed a kiss on her cheek. "I'm going to take a shower and get the top bunk ready for bed. If you need anything, you know where I am," the leader whisking herself into an occupied bathroom. Yang had slipped past the other two while in conversation and an old sisterly fight of house Xiao Long erupted. Doesn't matter the height increase or maturity, it seemed to divulge into a rough scuffle and the little sister again being ejected from the room. Weiss did her best to stifle her laugh, remembering that this was the girl who wanted to fight her cold for her.

The day passed and the night settled in, the heiress waking in-and-out of sleep. What she thought was the cold was slowly eating up the inside of her and seemed to mutate. Her sheets were dampening, neither side of the pillow cool as she kept flipping it to find comfort, and she was feeling the drainage in her nose take its toll on her sinuses. In a last ditch effort, she stumbled out her bed. Underneath the bunks was a suitcase full of her cache of crystallized dust. What was supposed to be used for combat purposes was now a crutch as she generated the coolness out of her ice dust. A sliver she placed on her head, wanting nothing more than the freezing feeling to resonate with her as she was fighting for a restful sleep.

With her core sufficiently stabilized, Weiss was able to have a relatively peaceful sleep. The strip she used dissolved before Ruby roused her, the heiress relieved that she could hide her weakening state longer before her dutiful girlfriend could prevent her from attending the sap harvest. It wasn't long without the dust crystal that she could feel the symptoms coming back, the heiress now losing coordination while Ruby and the rest were getting ready. Weiss chipped off another piece of the rock. Her bosom may not be as suitable extra pocket as Yang's, but her bra was going to have to do in a pinch, placing the freezing crystal in her left cup. So long as her heart was pumping arctic blood through her veins, her core should maintain a normal temperature.

As the heiress was readjusting the protrusion in her underwear, the leader popped out of the bathroom as chipper and trusting as ever. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah. Let's get going," Weiss taking her leader's hand and walking down to the rendezvous. Idle chatter was made until they rest were popping in their field of vision, the redhead sticking out in the sea of black and blonde manes. "Civil today. Remember that."

"You don't have to remind me."

"I was actually giving that advice to myself," the heiress corrected. "It's both beneficial and unfortunate that we get to have friends here. Literally, the day after the match-up, we'll go back to treating them as friends instead of keeping them at arms length for the time being. At least today, we can bring them in a bit closer."

"You say that, but mind if you do keep your guard up?" Ruby sheepishly asked, the question confusing the ice princess.

"What do you mean by that?" she inquired, her voice harsh, but keeping her tone down so the others couldn't overhear.

"Well... I was able to catch Jaune and Pyrrha training yesterday night. I didn't stay for long, but we actually got him rattled. He's scared to fight us." A bit of exuberance leaked out with the leader's statement, a smile hiding as she continued conflicted. "I don't know the reasons in particular, but I wouldn't mind playing it up today. Matches is going to be tough in our bracket and it became that much harder with them as our opponents. I don't want to be the bad guy, but a single loss or even tie could cost us. I'd rather have some extra security when we're fighting the other partners."

"So what you're saying is that I have to stay away?" Weiss' tone growing increasingly annoyed as her partner was proposing a monstrous idea.

Ruby was quick to hear the message behind the snarl, quickly redacting her bid. "Yeah-yeah, I thought it was a dumb idea too." A nervous laugh followed as she forced an ending to the conversation. Weiss was onto what she was inclining and it wasn't a bad idea. Considering she was the more capable fighter, she was going to concentrate on the weaker of the two anyways. Jaune's competent, but hadn't hit the mastery of his abilities as Pyrrha or Weiss have, making the decision to harass him in the fight to divide his girlfriend's attention from perpetually shifting from offense to defense when Ruby and Weiss chose to. As much as Weiss wanted to prove herself, she also wanted to help carry Ruby as far as she could, the idea of being nixed from the initial fights falling well below any expectation.

"Fine. I'll do it. What do you want me to say to them?" she said with some reluctance in her voice, but Ruby's eyes shined at the unexpected response.

"Bring back the Ice Queen. Be cordial, but keep your distance. It works as a deterrent and so you don't get anyone else sick."

"I'm not that sick. The more you bring it up, the worse it sounds," Weiss quickly rushed out before they met up with the group. Like a true tactician, she shook hands and hugged everyone except for Jaune, the shaky expression as he was overlooked gratifying enough to go along further with Ruby's plan. Glynda was more lenient on the second year students, giving them a few reminders of etiquette and be cautious of neighboring Grimm around the area. Weiss lagged behind like she was told, keeping a small distance as she collected sap by her lonesome. Part of her cringed when she could overhear the rancorous laughter of her friends having a good time, wanting to be a part of that, but kept to her word as she remembered Ruby's twinkle in her eyes when discussing the battles.

The solidarity wasn't all bad, Weiss enjoying the meager task and listening to the calming tweets of the nearby birds. Lost in the tranquility, she didn't notice the dust run its limit, the symptoms flooding back to her in full force as she was tapping another tree. The fever sprung first, the heiress ignoring it as she was forcing the denial further that she was on the rebound, not expecting it to get worse. As the fever was reaching its pitch, rounds of pain were hitting her forehead, the headaches excruciating to the point of knocking her to her feet.

"Ru-Ruby..." her voice shook, barely audible as all of her body was relapsing. She heard rustling in the distance, the crushing and crackling of brush. A murmuring of growls permeated the thickets, the heiress forcing her head to meet the noise, a pair of glowing red eyes closing in on her. She called out to her girlfriend again, Weiss' body taking its final toll and collapsing. Struggling to keep her conscious, she heard the feint sounds of a battle cry and victory. Weightlessness then after, the only sound giving her comfort is the soothing tones of her girlfriend's voice in her ear.

* * *

><p>A sole beeping was piercing through the veil, the droning keeping a steady pace in her ear while murmuring was heard in the distance. Her body was heavy from the neurochemical slowly making its way through her body, attempting first to lift her head. Still too heavy with all her effort, she moved her hand, something within its grasp was soft and calloused. She managed a grunt from her throat, the object tightening around her fingers as she reacted.<p>

"Weiss," Ruby called out. The heiress optimistic at hearing the sound of her partner by her side. The last of her vision was blurry, but knew danger was around her before passing out. "Weiss, are you feeling better?"

The ice princess peeked one eye open, silver orbs hovering over her shaking with concern. As she looked around, she noticed the white curtains and sterilized styles of a health ward, Weiss assuming she was in the nurse's office. She found more strength to prop herself up, Ruby giving her a helping hand by fluffing up the pillows and moving the seat upright. "Ye-yeah. I guess. Recovering is a more... fitting term." Weiss tenderly ran her hand at the base of her head, only to feel the snag of the tube attached to her veins. The heiress irked, but welcomed the invigorating liquid. "What happened back there?"

"It was just a huntress moment. One second there was peace. In the next, we hear a couple Ursas and we ran to fight them. What I didn't expect to see was you collapsed on the ground. I rushed and got you out, leaving the Grimm for the rest to challenge. Other than you, no one is in a serious condition," Ruby reluctantly said, Weiss relieved that calamity didn't ensue once she was a damsel in distress. More importantly, glad her dangerous thinking didn't cost anyone, but herself.

"Thanks Ruby," the ice princess beckoning her girlfriend over for a laudatory kiss on the forehead. "Sorry to not tell you. Believe me, I was trying, but I was hit with a sudden wave of pain that it knocked me out. I've never felt a sickness that could cripple me so quickly."

Weiss cut out some of the particular truths to her confession. She knew the consequences of fusing with dust. She is a master manipulator, but this technique was mostly used for external combat purposes, not necessarily tackling in the microcosm that is the human body. She knew she wasn't ready to try something so bold, but went with it anyway for Ruby's sake and stubbornness in pride of being healthy. "_At least now I see it works like a time release capsule. All it did was dam up the symptoms as it kept my body normal, essentially putting the sickness on hold. Once it depleted from me, my body wasn't ready to take on a more mutated aggressive form of the infection in the dormant state. I wasn't looking for a cure, but I didn't expect a doubling effect of time lost._"

"In the back of my mind, this was one of the worst case scenarios mulling around. I kept an eye on you, but it seems the split-second I turned away, your situation fell to pieces."

"You did your job and did it well. Don't think anything more of it," Weiss reassured, gripping firmer onto her lover's hand as she beamed her admiration to her. In the glowing moment, a wild, tall figure slapped at the privacy curtains.

"Mind if we join you?" Yang's head already poking through as she asked the question. Weiss motioned her in, Blake in tow. "You have some serious explaining to do."

"I just woke up and now I'm under prosecution?"

"According to the nurse back there, you have a classic case of pneumonia," Yang broadcast to the team, an audible gasp coming from Ruby as she heard the seriousness of the illness. "You have been carrying it since we got back from that mission and it seemed to manifest itself now because, according to Blake, have been trying to cover-up your sickness."

Weiss glared over to the Faunus, Blake not backing down and held a stern, but caring stance as she knew she was right to communicate this to the blonde. "How come none of you got sick then?"

"Well, I have shorter hair than yours. It dried off rather quick when we got the fire going," Ruby piped up.

"And Yang is my portable heater who was burning bright as she was being a guiding light in the darkness for you girls to find us," Blake added, Weiss' brow furrowing harder as she was envious of the blonde's semblance coming in handy that night.

"How frail is my aura if it couldn't protect my immune system for a night?"

"Don't pout too much. It's the luck of the draw," Yang restoring confidence in the heiress' body. "That being said, here's your meds," Yang passing the bottle to her sister. "And the rest is up to you, Ruby. She's bedridden for awhile."

A glint of happiness shot from her girlfriend, Weiss looking to Blake for solidarity, but the Faunus' expression told her to accept what was about to happen. "I got it. You're in good hands, Weiss."

The heiress' scowl wasn't letting up. Not because Ruby was given the authorization to be as smothering as she could be, but she was already making a mistake. "Your elbow is tugging at the IV needle."

Ruby's gaze shrank and darted downward, a dribble of blood coming out of her vein as Ruby removed the tube. "Oh my goodness. I'll get a napkin," The leader scurried past the other two to aid her girlfriend. Weiss tightened the valve around the bag, pulling out the needle as she wasn't feeling as weak with the nutrients supplied to her.

"Be nice to her, Weiss. There was a lot of fun had on our sick days," Yang tousling the ice princess' hair before parting. Blake left a few textbooks before departing, knowing the heiress wouldn't appreciate falling behind too much.

As Ruby was sopping up the mess, Weiss' mood shifted, adhering to Blake's advice and enjoying the ride. "You were out for a few hours. You hungry?" Seeing the puppy-dog eagerness in her girlfriend's eyes had her lips curl, cherishing the vexatious attention she's in store for.

"Yeah. I have been craving some lobster bisque," Weiss offered, Ruby already two steps out the door before she could finish it with a cup of warm camomile. The leader made many fast trips in and out of the nurse's office before Weiss was properly comfortable. As much as Ruby was eager to play, the heiress didn't want to squander Blake's efforts of bringing her supplies for studying, her partner making a makeshift table and chair as they were making a buffer of time so they could go out on a date once Weiss recuperated.

The ice princess didn't have too much energy for that kind of demanding performance. As the night came, the nurse left her station, telling the girls to be responsible and to have the place as she left it. With the room to themselves, Ruby brought out her scroll, taking to watching movies, snuggling up as best they could with the massive bed and side bars in the way. It may have only been their digits intertwined and shoulders bumped up next to each other, but Weiss was grateful to experience this type of love.

Her eyes started fluttering, knowing her body was due for well-rested sleep soon as her body was fighting off pneumonia. Determined to finished the movie, she tensed up, only to have her girlfriend stand up and place her hands along her traps. "You don't have to," Weiss mumbled, a soft moan vocalizing her contradictory appreciation for the effort as she had been sore all day.

"I don't mind." Ruby's small hands tenderized the area, Weiss pausing the movie so she could stretch her legs, the leader continuing the massage as the heiress bent over the railing to do her own calisthenics. "Anywhere you want me to concentrate on?"

"Everywhere. I've never had a sickness that feels like it was beating me from all sides," Weiss granting her girlfriend to roam her body. As the small digits would dig into the right spots, the heiress could feel the break in tension in the muscle, the knots unraveling as she was being nurtured. "Thanks Ruby. I've been pampered, but there's some sort of adoration and devotion that you can't get from servitude... and oftentimes your parents."

Ruby noticeably shuddered as Weiss brought up that painful detail. "Sorry to hear that."

"It's fine. You probably guessed a lot of nurturing was lost with parents whose lives were consumed by other aspects of life. Winter and I always felt like byproducts of success instead of a part of our parents ideals of the future until we were at an age where they could groom us into perfect models for the next Schnee generation. It's another reason I was avoiding this. I was scared your tender, loving care would be equivalent to that of my butler."

"I'm glad to supersede your expectations. This, though, was groomed from the many days I was sick and Yang would care for me. I was a dirty kid. Always getting into something unclean and bacterial ridden, so I would get sick a plenty. It wasn't so bad, though. I think I built up an immunity to a lot of the common stuff now." Ruby was proud that all of her preparation for this moment was paying off, Weiss grateful as her toes would curl as she hit the right spots.

Ruby placed her girlfriend back in bed, the heiress tired and closed the scroll for tomorrow's viewing. "Go. I don't need you here to watch over me. You need to rest up for the match."

"Well... about the fight," Ruby's voice peaking as she was being singled out. "I was thinking I go to Miss Goodwitch, forfeit, and take the loss. You're in no condition to..."

"Ruby, listen," Weiss' authoritarian tone coming out as she addressed the matter. "I will be there, we will fight, and we will win. Even if these words turn out to be not true, you will be at the training room at the time cited. Am I clear?"

"But Weiss."

"Am I clear?" Weiss repeated, a more pleaful pitch thrown as the ice princess softened her proposal. Ruby's eyes darted around, her mind searching for a visible answer in her brain, but simply nodded and agreed.

"Yes," Ruby reluctantly let out before giving Weiss a goodbye kiss. The heiress went to bed checking off a list in her head, making sure she would simulate a healthy huntress in the morning.

* * *

><p>Weiss woke up the next morning bedraggled, but her spirit was stronger than her body, getting herself out of bed and onto her feet. She knew Ruby wouldn't listen to every word she said, the heiress finding cookie crumbs and used wrappings from this mornings breakfast and a cellophane wrapped cup of chicken soup on her nightstand. The heiress took a look at the time, pushing herself as she was cutting it short.<p>

She got dressed out of her hospital gown and hoofed it to her room. She opened her suitcase of crystallized dust, the heiress crestfallen as she examined the last of her blue shard. "It's not enough," she said to herself. "It's going to have to be good enough. I may not last the match, but I'll do as much as I can to give Ruby a chance at success."

She grabbed a piece of tape and brashly wrapped it around her forearm. As the effects were settling, she made her way to the training area. As unusual as it was, she was the last to arrive. Blake, Yang, Ren and Nora in the seats along with a few other students who came to watch the match. Ruby's eyes had a look of concern, Weiss not backing down and approached her spot next to her in front of Miss Goodwitch. "I should ask before starting, are you well enough to participate, Miss Schnee?"

"Yes. I accept and am a willing participant."

"Alright then." The blonde huntress turned to face the audience. "With that said, the second round of G bracket of the second years will begin. We have Ruby Rose and Weiss Schnee versus Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos. Competitors, shake hands."

The other two wore the same expression as her girlfriend, the man's blue eyes more sympathetic like a Labrador as she took his hand for a limp handshake. "Weiss, I don't want to hurt..."

The heiress was quick to muzzle the blonde boy wonder as she hissed back. "Don't you dare hold back. I'm fine." Weiss didn't mean to play the Ice Queen moniker up to the last minute, but she wasn't to be looked down upon for any reason. The fighters took to opposite sides of the circle, the heiress staring down her target.

"No live ammunition or lethal force. I am the judge and will monitor this match for any foul play," Glynda called to the teams. "Fighters ready. Go!"

Ruby didn't waste time as she had been wanting to test her skills against Pyrrha for a long while, the leader saying she may have figured out how to counter the warrior's semblance. Weiss was left with Jaune, the young man clad in armor, legs glued to his stance as he anticipated the first blow. She was also waiting for Jaune to make the first mistake, but she was on a time limit. If a mistake was to be made, it was going to be her only one.

Weiss lunged for him, the man blocking with his shield, deflecting and going into for an attack with his sword. With time limited, she changed her chambers to yellow dust, tiring the young man as fast as she could. As she would get locked sword-to-sword, she would call out to Ruby, a quick burst of her semblance side-swiping Jaune to the floor. Weiss didn't want to pick on Jaune, but concentrating on Pyrrha was the ultimate goal, one less distraction making it that much easier as she she was hammering blows and blasting ice at his feet.

In true improv nature, he abandoned his shoes, the young man fighting valiantly in his white socks that were not gripping well with sweat to lacquered wood. Weiss parlayed with him, his moist socks freezing to the icy surface as Weiss was purposely feigning attacks and hitting the ground around him. Jaune pulled as hard as he could, ripping the cloth and leaving some skin behind with an audible yell. His huntsman spirit was not bruised as she locked Weiss in as she was going in for the match point strike to his neck.

"I don't think there's a few sweet words that could get you to ease up on me, is there?" Jaune flashing a gallant, but nervous smile as Weiss was bearing her stare into his being.

"Surrender is a pretty good one," the heiress quipped, proud of snappy retort until she felt the entire left side of her body get pummeled. Not expecting Pyrrha to attack, but as the warrior was besting Ruby, she was finally able to be at her partner's aid. The redhead didn't forget about Ruby, the warrior bashing Jaune out of his icy chains. Weiss pushed herself to get back up, discerning that blow might have knocked the dust off of her. She felt fragments of the piece trickle down her sleeve, the miserable pains creeping up on her as she was losing her balance.

Jaune either didn't notice or care as he was on the offensive, hacking and slashing his way through Weiss as the connecting blows were hard to keep up with, the hits tremoring throughout her increasingly frail body. With the sickness coming in full force, a shield rush from Jaune had her down for the count, the heiress' will to keep herself in as she held Myrtenaster up high from the floor, the blade trembling in her hand as she was losing strength.

*-Ruby-*

She felt a disturbance in her partner, Ruby glancing over to see her girlfriend on the floor straining to keep her weapon in front of her. Her quick reaction saved her as Pyrrha came in for a strike, Ruby bursting her semblance over to Jaune, contorting Crescent Rose over and around his legs, tossing the man across the arena and into a wall. A loud thunderous crash followed by Jaune muttering something about puppies and cereal as the leader successfully subdued him.

A momentary pause in the battle came as both fighters were looking to aid their partners first, Ruby remembering that love couldn't be prioritized in this, the redhead having the same thoughts as she kept her weapon close. Ruby didn't hold back, more annoyed than ever that landing a hit on Pyrrha was near impossible as the warrior's semblance was giving her the edge, many decisive hits nearly connecting as she was swinging. The leader had been using her semblance to her advantage, pestering and wearing down the redhead as she would use her shield to protect from the flash steps.

The javelin's tip had reach, making getting close difficult for either of them. Ruby could faintly hear Glynda call out something, meaning the match timer may be ticking. The leader kept her distance, knowing Pyrrha had a weakness, but couldn't' figure it out. Bullishly battling was a desperate attempts to get points in her favor. She hacked her way into her, the warrior bending her way as she too was looking for an opening, Ruby determined to not let that happen. A flash of her semblance had Pyrrha defending rose petals, the leader coming in for the match point as Crescent Rose's blade was wrapped around the shield, Pyrrha countering as Miló transformed, the Xiphos' blade tucking under Ruby's throat. Both stared the other down, the short-haired girl still felt like a loss with the towering woman in front of her, green eyes burning in the heat of battle. If the fight wasn't for sport, Ruby was sure neither of them wouldn't have made it out unscathed. Luckily, the headmaster's assistant blew the whistle.

"Match point to both teams," Glynda shouted out, Ruby feeling dread enter as the tension left her muscles. "This match is a tie. Well fought girls and Jaune. Ruby, Pyrrha, collect your partners."

The leader didn't mean to be rude, but foregone shaking her opponent's hand as she rushed to Weiss' side. The icy orbs drowsily tracked her as the heiress propped herself up as best she could. "I shouldn't have underestimated her, but it wasn't a loss. We can make that up fighting Team CRDL," the ice princess belting out a few hoarse coughs after the sentiment.

"I'm taking you back to the nurse's office," Ruby scrambled, picking up her girlfriend off the floor.

"Don't!" The heiress not sounding as weak as before. "That is an order. I don't need an IV drip. I'm recovering. I dropped off what I needed this morning in the room. Take me there."

Ruby didn't like going against her gut instinct, but having seen Weiss in a worse state, she was going to trust the patient's judgment and follow her request. Yang and Blake followed from the stands back to the room, the older couple overseeing the fostering attention that Ruby was attending to. She relieved the sweating girl of her jacket, the chills running through her as the illness hit harder. She took the pillows from her bed to pad the heiress' back as she sat upright, setting the bookcase with texts and resources to make Weiss as comfortable as possible. Consumed in her girlfriend duties, she didn't hear the door knock, someone looking for her. "Hey, Ruby. Miss Goodwitch needs a word with you," Yang called to her attention, the leader smoothing out her partner's blanket before addressing her important visitor.

She didn't expect anything from her professional glower. Seeing the headmaster's assistant set off a warm atmosphere was rare as she was so strict in policies, but her expression softened as she solicited a walk. "Come with me. We need to talk." Ruby glanced back to see shrugs from Yang and Blake, Weiss curious as she observed from afar what Ruby could've done. The leader closed the door behind her, taking a half-step back accompanying the master huntress down the hallway. "Ease up. You're not in trouble."

A deep sigh emitted from the young girl as she had been sore from walking at attention. "Then what did you need me for?"

"As I was clearing the arena for the next match, I picked up a few of these." Glynda floated a vile with what looked like blue dust shards settling at the bottom. "Those were found in the place where Weiss was laying down, my guess being these broke after a collision with Pyrrha as she swiped away the evidence before you saw it."

"What-what was she doing with it?" the leader curiously asked.

"She was fusing herself with blue dust to control her illness. Don't sound shocked or be worried. Like I said, no one is in trouble and it isn't illegal. But I worry about my students. It's no wonder she ended up in the nurse's office. As young and healthy as she is, pneumonia is something that would've kept her in bed no more than a few days. Not have her collapse in the middle of a forest," the blonde woman explained.

Ruby didn't know how to absorb in information with her limited knowledge on dust applications, taking Glynda's grave tone a sign that Weiss was doing something dangerous. "I did notice her arm was sticky... She must have held the dust there during the fight. But why would she do it?"

"That's something you, as her partner, need to question her about. You students will learn this, but not as second years. But that brings us to why I asked you out. You girls do have a partner's only mission in a couple days as well," Glynda dropping a bomb that the leader had completely forgotten about as she was lost in tending to Weiss and training following up to the match.

"_That completely slipped my mind. I must have lumped-summed it along with the match because they were so close. I can't back out of this. This is for a grade and Weiss will not take a failing for any reason,_" Ruby frantically panicking in her mind as the dilemma formed, some of it slipping out as incoherent babble.

"I-I don't think Weiss c-can do anything of that," Ruby being silenced as the headmaster's assistant gestured to slow down.

"I know and, unlike Ozpin, I will be putting my foot down and not allow an ill student to undertake a dangerous mission. These missions are tailored to test the merits of you students at your peak performance. Not to besmirch Mr. Arc in any fashion, but Miss Schnee could easily dispatch him in a one-on-one fight. After seeing her appearance today, I am not authorizing her to go on the mission."

"But, we need the grade..." Ruby pleaded, the grimace behind the glasses not reassuring as she was scavenging to ameliorate the situation.

"I understand that. Which is why I will allow you to attempt it solo for a grade for both of you," the tall woman stated, the leader thinking it was a trick of the ear until she continued. "Ozpin bends rules to favor the ambitious, whereas I reward ambition after it has been earned. Team RWBY, amongst other teams, have been stellar huntresses and are setting a new standard for what Beacon Academy represents. Having scouted you Miss Rose, I do feel some level of pride seeing you excel in the past year."

With all the praise hitting her at once, Ruby felt light headed as blood rushed to her face, "Th-thank you, Miss Goodwitch. That's highly flattering coming from a master huntress like yourself."

"You earned it, Miss Rose. Ozpin will most likely permit it, but I thought I'd ask you first. You know the level of difficulty already. It's your call."

"I'll do it. Even if I barely pass, it's worth it than taking a zero."

"That's what I figured. Not to deflate your enthusiasm in any way, barely passing can also mean barely surviving." Ruby felt a lump in her throat as the air of relief was zapped from her. "But I also wouldn't have authorized this if I didn't believe you could do it. I'm off to make the exceptions to the system. I'll see you tomorrow at the mission selection."

The tall woman left, heels reverberating in the hallway as she left a scared huntress clad in her red cloak that took a bite she might not have been able to chew. She shuffled back to the room, the rest of the team inquiring, the leader taking to emitting a little white lie and said it was a personal congratulatory response for her performance in the match. As the leader wasn't a good liar, the rest were skeptical, but Ruby shook them off as she went back to Weiss' side, a place she didn't want to leave.

As night came, Ruby took to slumping next to their bed while the heiress was tucked behind the privacy curtain, the leader holding her hand as long as she could before she'd have to move it around as she was losing feeling. She closed her eyes, fighting to sleep, but the weight of mission stirred around in her thoughts, the haunting howl of a Beowolf in the distance not reassuring as she was making her decision.

"_The first mission didn't go well and that was with the four of us. Granted I took the brunt of the hits, but I'll admit I'm shaken after that accident. None of us were being reckless. It was just a bad day. It can't happen twice in one year, right?_" Ruby brood as she analyzed their record of a fifty percent pass rate. "_None of us were hurt on the second mission. Well... mostly,_" the leader remembering why she was sitting on the floor as the ice princess shifted in their bed. "_But I wasn't alone._"

The leader rubbed up and down her side, tracing the injury of the memory as the attack didn't leave a scar, the phantom pain residing in her paralyzing fear of going out alone again. A cough came from behind her, Ruby turning on her knees to lean over her girlfriend. Placated to find her girlfriend still asleep, she played with her bangs, the chills oxymoronically making her sweat, prodding the leader to sleek off the comforter to ease the heat.

"_She did so much for me. She prolonged a sickness to make sure we had a chance for a top score. She didn't even consult me... Time to woman up, Ruby. You went on irresponsible, hasty adventures all the time that nearly gave Dad a heart attack,_" Ruby finding her resolve as she placed her fingers on her lips and pressed them to Weiss.

* * *

><p>Ruby gave one last good tug to the laces on her boots, pressing and primping her battle skirt as she quietly exited the dorm. She didn't get much sleep, but she was rested, her mood perking up as she went down to the cafeteria and getting a large coffee before grabbing Crescent Rose out of her locker. Tying up her last loose end, she sent a text to Yang. "<em>Take care of Weiss while I'm gone. I'll be back shortly.<em>"

"_It's ambiguous, but Weiss is going to stress out either way whether or not I tell her. Me sneaking out is the lesser of two evils._" With everything set, she entered the training hall, greeted by Miss Goodwitch as she was monitoring the rest of the approval. Ruby casually said hello and slid past her, not wanting to hear more ominous tones of what was in store for her. Being early had its advantages, the leader having her pick among the litter as she noticed one that she knew was placed purposefully by Opzin. She picked clearing out the old train tracks of the abandoned city, knowing it ought to be her to clean up a mess she could've prevented if she wasn't so nosy.

Ruby was making her way to the airport, so close to her exit until she heard a shrill cry of her name in the distance. "Ruby!"

The leader felt a chill run up her spine, fear striking through her as she saw a white ponytail flurrying towards her, Yang's blonde mane chasing her as they dashed towards her. Ruby didn't expect Weiss to have the strength to be throwing elbows, but she heard her sister give an audible cry as the heiress wriggled out of her jacket from the blonde's ensnarement. Ruby was losing her stride as Weiss' voice pierced through the humming of the engines. Before she could find her nerve to be impolite and flash step onto the aircraft, the heiress jerked at her shoulder, spinning the younger girl around to meet blue eyes glaring her down.

"I can't believe... you were going... without me," the ice princess huffing as the sickness was binding her bronchioles.

"I only did it..."

"Un... acceptable. You wait here... I'm getting Myrtenaster... and we're doing this," Weiss letting out a hard phlegmy cough as the cold morning air hurt her lungs. Ruby knew how this conversation would normally play out. Weiss' scolding makes her feel bad about going behind her back, Ruby makes it up to her on the mission, and they come back and have some fantastic make-up sex with relationship repaired. As wonderful as that sounded, looking at the fragile girl in front of her, she couldn't let this happen. The scowl she's grown to love was pinned over eyes red from exhaustion and irritation, her pale skin that glows was pallid and blotchy as a layer of sweat coated her in her sleep.

The engines of the craft whirled behind her, kicking up the wind chill and having the heiress quiver, keeping her body heat as best she could by wrapping her arms around her self. "I'm sorry, Weiss!" Ruby shouted over the noise. She whipped off her cloak, securing it around her girlfriend's neck before she had a chance to react. As she tightened the cross pins together, she gripped her by the collar and planted a large kiss on Weiss' lips. "I'll still be here with you! Don't worry! I'll be fine!"

A puff of pedals was left in her wake, Ruby tapping maddeningly on the pilot's shoulder to get the craft up. He was compliant and she was off to her destination. She peered outside the hatch, finding it odd to see her seminal cloak fluttering on the ground, her sister's blonde mane taming it as she swathed Weiss in the cloth. Deep in the thick of Grimm bodies came a text later from Yang saying she has the situation under control, the only breath of relief Ruby would have as the mission began.

* * *

><p>"Oh come on! This! Has! To! End!" Ruby chipped through her teeth. Beasts of all shapes and sizes flooded the tunnel, the leader unloading as many rounds into them before she had to dance with her blade. She wasn't getting tired as she was agitated. Three days of thoroughly eliminating Grimm from the tunnels had officially lost its joy as the shrieks and howls were cutting into her sleeping patterns, Ruby running off of the adrenaline of the battle for the most part as she couldn't sleep peacefully in such cramped quarters.<p>

She thought she was keeping her sanity by keeping count, but as the numbers were breaching past the three hundred mark, she had to wonder if this was a cruel joke set up my Ozpin or someone on the data team cursory punched in some numbers and handed them in. The few hits they were able to land on her weren't life threatening, but they were in the right spots as Ruby felt pain discharge whenever she would take a swing. Going from smallest to biggest, to keep some sort of order in her attacks, she had only one more enemy left, the hiss of a King Taijitu as it was staring her down the tunnel. Having fought its siblings twice, Ruby already knew how this one would die.

The woman rested the shaft of Crescent Rose along her arm's length behind her back, kicking rocks at her feet as she knew the red eyes of the Grimm were studying her every move. With the blood thirst at its peak, the King Taijitu slithered towards her, the fangs gleaming as it rushed past the holes blown in the surface. It was quick and painless for the beast as Ruby twirled around her weapon and bore the pointed end through the roof of its mouth, piercing the brain stem. Not so much for Ruby who's arm was punctured from both ends as she miscalculated the Grimm's mouth length.

"Ow," she squeaked out, the pain setting in as she faltered with the weight of the snake's head slumping into her. Using Crescent Rose as a balance, she yanked her arm out of the razor-sharp teeth, her mind dizzying as blood dribbled down her arm profusely. Her temporary shelter was close, Ruby doing the logical thing and sealing up the tunnel to her with a few well-placed shots from Crescent Rose. As the cement crumbled, separating herself from the rest of the hell that is beyond it, she shuffled to her crack in the wall.

It was by chance she found this. Her slaying of a Borbatusk had it crashing into the wall enough for her small frame to squeeze through to an old train maintenance room. She flicked on her field lantern, using the dim light to find the first aid kit in her pack. Making a tourniquet on her dominant arm was harder than she expected, but using her teeth had her bandaged up adequate enough. With her needs tended to, she didn't forget to check in back home.

Her scroll was on its last legs of battery life, but she could still make a call. Not knowing if Weiss was still mad, she dialed her sister, Yang picking up as soon as she hit the button. "Hey Ruby," a small pause occurring as the leader's appearance caught the blonde off guard. "Oh my goodness. You're a mess."

Ruby left out a nervous laugh, knowing that she must look destitute given her state of affairs. The cement dust of the abandoned tunnels caked her, along with the coagulation of a few days of blood scabbing as she was out of wipes. The cuts to her battle skirt were small and only getting bigger as the fighting endured. "Yeah. Today was rough and I'm running low on water. Figure even wasting a drop on washing my face isn't worth it."

"You're still fine? I'm not going to lose you because you are aiming for a perfect mark."

"I'm not lying when I say this mission is going well. It's lost its luster, but I got one more section. I should be done tomorrow for max points. How's Weiss?"

"You're on speaker. You can ask her. Weiss," Yang sang out, pointing the camera over to the heiress. "You have anything to say to Ruby?"

The image wasn't large, but she could tell her sister was taking good care of her girlfriend, the heiress sitting upright in bed, face buried in a text. What had the leader beaming was seeing her cloak still draped around her shoulders. "You're in trouble when you get back. You're not off the hook with me."

"You say that, but you haven't taken off that cloak once since she put it on you. Also, seeing you on watch at the window waiting for her is really cute," Yang teased, mashing a button that she knew would dig into the heiress.

Weiss was clearly on the other end of the mend as she lashed pillow across the room. "Shut up. And you said you'd take over her duties. I'm pretty sure I asked for my evening tea as she called."

Yang panned the camera towards her. "She's far too fussy with how you left her."

"The fire she spits out is at least a sign she's better."

"If you were in my shoes, you'd be having different sentiments. I got to go make tea. Much love, Ruby. Call the school if you're in trouble," the sisterly protective nature being embraced as she was on her own.

"I will. Love you, Yang. Love you, Weiss," Ruby said louder as if the speaker wasn't present enough in the room. The camera shakily went up to her girlfriend's face, the leader happy to see a icy orbs cast an amorous expression as a softer smile formed.

"I love you too, Ruby. Be safe," Weiss pressed the end call button, the leader shutting off her scroll to make a call back lest she'd have to trek back to Vale on foot when it dies.

"I might have to speed this up. The scroll won't last another day. I'll take a nap and pull a night shift." Ruby reflexively pulled for her cloak to cover up, smiling as she knew it was being put to better use. She leaned up against the wall, holding Crescent Rose to her chest as she attempted to get forty winks.

In one second, she was in dreamland, living in a house made of the finest sweets. In the next, in agonizing pain. She cried out as the sharp affliction woke her up, Ruby clutching her shin at her instinctive attempt to soothe agony. A large concrete block was sat against her, the room rattling as something was upheavaling in the tunnels. Vying to get to her feet was harder with the unforeseen injury, using Crescent Rose to prop her up. The room illuminated in a bright yellow light, the stinger of a Deathstalker stabbing its way to get at her. The room wasn't going to last much longer, Ruby transforming her weapon into a sniper and firing a couple rounds into the beast to have it back off. Ruby zipped past it, the women getting a shock to her system as a wave of Grimm were plowing their way towards her.

"Oh boy," Ruby's heart sinking as the crisis was turned up a notch. Her speed was slowed, but small bursts of of semblance was keeping her one step ahead of the Grimm. She blind-fired at the Creeps getting too close, the leader amazed that how bipedal creatures could move with such ease. Options were dwindling as her spare ammo was running thin, Ruby desperate for a way out.

Colored pipes were lining the walls, Ruby noticing that they led to large canisters with many symbols screaming toxic, flammable, and more importantly, explosive. Using the scythe, she pried the containers from shackles, flinging as many as she could until she reached an opening to the surface. Looking back, a sea of black was blotting out a direct hit on any of the tanks, Ruby firing wildly hoping a bullet would hit the numerous ones on the floor.

As Ruby was about to retreat to the upper city, the Death Stalker proudly was raising a target in its pincers, a rushing hiss echoing as it was crushing the obstacle. She took the shot, a wave of heat blowing past her as a series of explosions knocked her off her feet. She recovered herself, leaping up through the hole and whisking herself to safety as the tunnel was collapsing in.

Ruby gasped for air, giving thanks that her semblance is speed as she would be part of the howling shrieks of the Grimm in the rubble if it wasn't. She fumbled for her scroll, calling in her ride home as she deemed it mission accomplished. As her body was normalizing, she got brief tunnel vision as she was transfixed at what could have been her grave, the pilot snapping her out of it as she was picked up.

She staggered out of the aircraft, her knees weak, but also wanting to kiss the hallowed ground of the academy as she was home safe. The woman made her way to the training hall, wanting nothing more than to turn in her assignment and collapse in her bed. The sun was peeking over the horizon, the small light accenting the red flickering cloth in the distance. Elation soared through her as her cloak was still clad around her girlfriend, that feeling flattening as Weiss' glower had a sharper stare.

The leader was confident her actions would be forgiven as she thought Weiss was putting on a show for her, not clear as to what should be her next step. "Hey, I'm ba..." The heiress cut her off and whisked her in an unyielding embrace, Ruby's injuries grave enough that the loving gesture was inducing pain. "Ouch. We-weiss. I need you to let up."

"You dolt," she murmured, Ruby happy to hear her term of endearment, but more appreciative that the ice princess loosed her grip, bringing her blue orbs to meet hers. "I'm surprised you didn't make me more ill with the gambit of emotions you put me through. Correction. Still putting me through. You're seriously wounded."

The soft hands grazed the clotting flesh of her upped arm, Ruby sighing into the touch as the wound was still tender. "You know. A couple near-death experiences can cost you," the leader laughed off, her girlfriend not finding it as amusing.

"Come with me. You're getting cleaned up before you go to bed," Weiss positioning herself under Ruby's arm, carrying a lot of the weighting of the limping huntress.

"I'm way too tired for a shower."

"I'll help you and I swear, if I see that smirk, I will find a way to keep my clothes on," Weiss countered, Ruby finding it nigh-impossible to not sport a grin as she saw through the Ice Queen facade. The creaks in their boots cobbled against the ground, Ruby content with the silence as Weiss nurtured her. "You're not allowed to pull a stunt like that," the heiress breaking the peace. "It's hard to look at you knowing that you went out there alone."

"I could say the same thing. Glynda told me about the blue dust. Why were you doing that? You could have contracted a more serious strain of the infection with it lying dormant," Ruby accused.

"I did it for you," Ruby mystified at the ice princess' sudden confession. "Your heart was set on the match and I wasn't going to be the reason we didn't make it. When the symptoms first started appearing, I denied it as long as I could, then resorted to concealers. Then it got worse to the point where all the makeup I would put on made me more transparent. So I employed to fusing with dust. It was an amateurish attempt, but it worked for the most part."

The leader was aghast as she saw the altruistic essence in the heiress' intentions, Ruby feeling horrid as she was the reason for the debilitating infection thrashed her. However, the leader perceived the intention mirrored hers. "I'm guilty of the same thing. After a less than bumpy start as second years, I wasn't going to risk anymore grade points after the first mission, so when Miss Goodwitch gave me this opportunity, I couldn't pass it up. I feel awful, Weiss. I didn't intend you to be killing yourself for my selfish reasons."

"Neither did I," Weiss' tone raising as she made her point clearer. "I felt my heart skip when I saw parts of your battle skirt stained in red. I think... I think we both did something wrong. We spread ourselves too thin for the other and ended up making it worse."

"Yeah..." Ruby disappointingly agreed with Weiss. "But it felt right to do something this ludicrous. You know I'd do anything for you."

"As would I, but we ought to draw the line somewhere. Next time, I could end up losing a lung."

"Or my life," the leader drearily concurred with Weiss. Although she felt bad about it now, she felt acclaim should be showed for Weiss' selflessness. "I know we just chastised ourselves for what we did, but it was incredibly awesome what you did for me."

"And you're phenomenal for pulling off a mission alone for my sake." Fingers curled under her chin, directing the leader's face to Weiss, soft blue orbs appearing with a tender smile. The heiress closed in, placing her lips on Ruby's, the younger woman mustering the little strength she had and deepened their kiss. A trifling grunt exuded from her girlfriend. "You taste like blood and sweat." Weiss maneuvered Ruby's cloak to cradle her body closer. "Any tips you have for taking care of you?"

"Cookies and kisses are a pretty good start," Ruby beaming a smile as the heiress rolled her eyes, the evocative answer coaxing the heiress to sneak a few kisses through her locks as they were making their way to the dorm.

"_They say love makes you do crazy things. That couldn't be more true as it was easy to fall into that trap. While a relationship is about giving yourself to the other, it's also important to remember that you're an individual yourself and giving too much causes the relationship to engulf you. I love Weiss, but the throbbing pain in my arm is a reminder to heed her warnings and do things as a couple instead of bearing a load by myself._"


	33. Blake: Always Landing on Her Feet

Another update. Three weeks felt like an eternity this time around. So we're finally in season three, which is great, but now I'm introducing characters that I would've thought would've been introduced. This time around it's Taiyang. So literally within the next few weeks everything I've written could be altered from canon, but I hope you all stick around with his interpretation and I'll change it with new information so long as it doesn't drastically change the scene or future scenes. As always, thanks for the fav/follow and reviews. See you next time, everybody.

Blake: Always Landing on Her Feet

The crisp morning air was refreshing as the Faunus was reading one of her books out of her collection. Blake took to keeping her isolation patterns and sat along the makeshift patios on the flat parts of the castle, Jaune disclosing that this location was used as his first training area with Pyrrha as he was too embarrassed to practice in public at first. What was initially escapist entertainment, now became a self-imposed exile as she was re-reading a novel from her past and not for nostalgia purposes. Blake was looking for a reasons for others to not approach her, a book to her face the best way of shutting out the rest of the world as most would take that body language as intended.

Except one person. "Blake?" the familiar voice of her girlfriend coming from beyond a tower peak. The Faunus pretended not to hear, hoping Yang wouldn't be thorough about her search, but she knew better. A shady silhouette blocked out her reading light, forcing her to make eye contact with the blonde. "I thought I would find you up here."

"I knew I should have bribed Jaune and Pyrrha. They're the only ones who know about this place." Blake lamented, returning to her book. Yang took a seat next to her, tossing a ham and cheese croissant in her lap as she unwrapped her breakfast. Blake had been purposefully delaying meals or eating early to avoid her friends, the Faunus noticing her girlfriend try and bring her back into the fold with her less than subtle nature. Even if she was dragging her by the wrist, Yang was making more of an attempt to bring some lively normalcy to their lives than she was. Tracking her down and eating breakfast with her was going above the call of girlfriend duties, a smile cracking across her face as Blake closed her book. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," was mostly muffled with a mouthful of sandwich, but Blake was able to get the gist of what she was saying.

"I think I should. You know I'm fine being on my own. You don't need to wallow in my squalor. Contrary to the popular saying, misery isn't needy enough to want anyone to feel how I'm feeling."

"That's kind of the reason I'm out here," the blonde swallowing before answering. "I could guess how you're feeling and maybe hit the mark with some intimate deductions, but I'd rather ask the source." Yang's softer nature teeming out as the bubbly expression from before had been downcast into concern. "It's been a month, Blake. I'm no expert in how long you're allowed to mope around the subject, but I was hoping there would be some positive change or a drive to get back out there again. I cover for you every day, telling our friends that you'll come out of it tomorrow. I'll keep doing it as long as you need, but it is heartbreaking to see you so melancholy. The rare times I see you smile I get this sweet, sanguine feeling that you're turning that corner, only for that sense of faith dashed as you lock yourself back up in the room."

The Faunus wondered how long it would take for this conversation to happen. Blake was not blind to her actions. The times Yang would be persistent in including her in activities is because the lilac eyes had such a sorrow on the surface that she knew she couldn't say no. A lot of her mourning period was breaking away to try and process what Adam had done to her that night. Ironically, she was avoiding that mental trial and would stick to her stories, others none the wiser as they were assuming she was in bereft. However, thumbing through a book she'd already read twice had her thinking that maybe she should confront the subject, Yang troubled enough to be searching for her up and down the halls of the academy.

"Sorry to worry you. I thought you having the knowledge of knowing where I was enough to keep you from being upset," Blake apologized.

"Thanks for keeping me in mind. I don't know how gray I would be if I had to wonder what my Faunus was doing straying about Vale." Yang effortlessly pulled Blake into a better mood with her quick quips. "If you don't want to talk now, it's fine, but I'm here as a reminder that I'm here when you're ready. All of us are. Also to make sure you're eating on time. I don't think you realize how testy you get when your blood sugar is low."

Blake was appreciative of the efforts, the blonde's timing not being any more perfect as a week ago she would have fended off such kindness as over-nurturing. The Faunus wished she had something to offer in return. "There's really nothing much to talk about. If anything, I've been living in my denial, saying that what Adam did was part of some brainwashing experiment by Roman. But another part of me won't let me fully grasp onto that delusion. That voice has been getting louder since that day to the point where I don't ignore it, but am just tuning it out because it's right. After you told me how he tossed my unconscious body into the water, it makes me furious that I tried to live in that denial for a second."

Blake heard her girlfriend shift over, a calloused hand taking a comforting position on her shoulder. "It wasn't as bad as I was making it out to be. I've felt guilty since filling you in on what happened. I was manipulating you to feel the hatred I felt. I don't like saying it out loud, but I don't like him because of what he's done to you."

"What about you?" Blake interrupted her girlfriend's sentiments. "Because my vision was blurred with some cheery future, I put the whole team at risk, getting all of us injured to some degree. There's that fleeting dark thought that passes in my head, that one of us could have been killed. If I hadn't injured Adam, there's not a doubt that he would have used me as bait to get at you instead of as a scapegoat for his getaway tactic."

"I'm not going to allow you to beat yourself up about that," Yang's tone hardening as she was on the defensive. "When The White Fang is mentioned, we all know the inherent dangers we're walking into and we do it with integrity as huntresses. Don't bear that responsibility because you were the one calling for the mission this time."

"If the rest of this conversation is you patronizing me, feel free to leave," Blake barked back, Yang biting her tongue as she begrudgingly stayed. "Regardless of what you say, what it comes down to is I requested you girls' help. I could have planned for the numerous contingencies that could have unraveled, but instead all I could fixate on was seeing him again."

"Maybe so, but you may be looking at this from a gray area and not like it because the decision isn't that simple." Yang's answer piqued the Faunus' interest. "I do wish this battle was as black and white like the rest. Roman is up to something, we fight him with no vacillations. Adam bridges those two schools of thought because of your past with him and we have to find a way to cross it."

Yang's insight had Blake think critically about the other side to the situation. She went through the rolodex of battles in her mind. Fighting The White Fang was instinct at this point. Given her former personal experiences within the organization made the decision to fight even easier. They were the bad guys and bad guys needed to be stopped. It was simple, the Faunus' ex adding a new variable to the equation. "_I remember every swing I took, every step I made and every thought that went on in that duel. It was only for split seconds, but I second guessed my actions. Even that pathetic plea before I was knocked out wasn't my first intention, me already at the bottom of my slippery slope of sentimentality that talking it out seemed like the only option. Knowing Adam, I should've have been so naive._"

As resentful as she was with her decision, she did find solace in ciphering out the way she felt, a calm coming upon her with her new awareness. "It's feels like I've made no progress then. I've been avoiding it for a month and, even now, it still feels like he arrested my development."

Blake sulked into her hand, massaging her forehead to soothe away the frustration. "I know that it may not seem like much, but you finally talked about it. That's got to mean something, right?" Yang chipped in. "We'll get to the other side, Blake. Probably a lot sooner that we think with the way The White Fang have been more forthright in promoting their cause."

The team had been witness to many unique symbols and cryptic messages across Vale, Blake cluing in that the organization was planning something, but positive it wasn't something disastrous. Roman was a pretentious showman, but was not fool enough to advertise a major attack with so many resources at stake. "You're right, but one baby step in a month is hardly something to cheer about."

"Then why do you have a smile on your face?" Yang pointed out, Blake conscious to the grin plastered to her face, not hiding it as she embraced the warmness of having her girlfriend goad her on. "If it's any consolation, I think we're making better progress than we realize."

"We certainly haven't made any steps backwards," Blake pessimistically pointed out, taking another bite from her food as she flipped open her book to read again. The Faunus invited Yang into her arms, the blonde not wavering as she huddled into her girlfriend's body. "I was getting chilly with the small breeze."

"I figured as much. I had my duster on hand in case you sent me away. Glad to see this developed instead." Yang nuzzled into Blake's neck, the Faunus always enjoying when they get to laze about with a good book. "What are you reading?"

"Something I know you already read because you borrowed the idea of taking me to a waterfall here. That date would've ended disastrously if we weren't huntresses. Grimm are variables we shouldn't be forgetting when we excursion past our borders."

"I brought Ember Celica. I was totally prepared. I just didn't foresee a baby Nevermore getting too big for its beak and trying to start a fight," the blonde and her snickering as Blake remembered the high-pitched girlish scream that emanated from Yang. "I know you can sit on cold stone, but my butt doesn't have the plumpness yours does. Can we take this story back to the room before I start to lose feeling in my backside?"

"Perhaps. Part of the reason I'm out here is because Weiss has been taking care of Ruby. I've been letting them have their privacy. They seem to be having a lot of fun."

"They're monopolizing the fun," Yang's tone filled with envy with her reply, Blake picking up on what her girlfriend was bemoaning about.

"I know I haven't been in the mood lately, but do you really have the heart to kick them out with how thrilled Ruby is being tended to by Weiss' docility."

"You know what's far more interesting than our dry streak? Anything else," Yang motioning Blake to read to her as she effectively ended the conversation, the Faunus sensing her drive was overflowing as the blonde's hands roamed in-and-out of erogenous zones on her body. Blake's burning lust had been effectively extinguished as she was licking her wounds, but felt a spark of it come back as her girlfriend wasted the day with her.

* * *

><p>"Hey. Come on, sleepyhead," the soft voice lulled Blake out of her sleep, the blonde nudging her awake as tenderly as she could, but could feel the urgency in her prods.<p>

"I know. I know," the Faunus murmured into the pillow, upset she was taken out of one of the sweetest of dreams she'd had in a long while. Normally plagued with distressing premonitions of Adam, to be in a place of serenity and fun was a welcomed change of pace. Yang was on a time schedule that wasn't permitting her to lounge in the bed longer, the blonde ripping the sheets off of her, her skin freezing on contact with the autumn air. "I got it. I'm up."

"Sorry, but I'm sort of excited. It's not everyday you get to meet my dad," Yang cheerful spouted. "It's also not everyday Weiss lets us use the bathroom first. She needs to loosen up. She's going to cough up blood with how hard she's stressing about meeting him for the first time."

Blake had her anxieties about meeting the patriarch of the Xiao Longs, but she would have more emotions to deal with if she was having to meet the Schnees for a civil dinner. Having to muster up politeness for a bigot and hear him gloat about a company that mistreats her people through immoral business practices would be a trial stacked against her. She has never even seen Yang's dad, but from all he stories and gifts he sends to the dorm room only painted a picture of an upstanding, eccentric father who cared deeply for his children, a huntsman that upheld the standards of the profession, and a man forlorn with the loss of two loves. Hardly the heartless menace that Weiss' father seemed to be.

"Is it weird that I'm looking forward to this?" Blake shutthe door behind them as they undressed from their nightwear.

"Kind of. Even I had a few nervous jitters about meeting some of my exes parents, but that mostly came from them taking serious leaps into how invested I was into the relationship. You, however, are long overdue for this. I've been begging Dad to get some free time with Ruby and I, but he kept delaying it for whatever reason."

"I've been curious. He seems to have been the bedrock for you and Ruby as a family. I'm interested in the important people in your life, even if six of those people were The Achieve Men." Blake remembered the sickening feeling of noticing one of them in the bookshop because of the poster that hangs haphazardly above their bed, their faces burned unconsciously into her brain from seeing them every day. She immediately called Yang who was at the store faster than Ruby with her semblance and the whole band showed up as they were getting ready next door for a music video shoot, Blake having to sit and tolerate the three hour choreographed and long-unchecked gestures to the camera as her girlfriend's heart was exploding with happiness.

"Don't hate me when I say that may have been one of the best days of my life," Yang smirked, Blake annoyed, but admired the love of a fangirl inside her, the passion bleeding elsewhere into her life. "Also that curiosity has been killing your gloomy mood. Since I told you, you've been smiling more."

The Faunus rushed underneath the shower head as Yang released the water, the initial blast of cold fully woke Blake up before the pipes heated the water. "It's been a nice distraction," the raven-haired girl shouted over the splashing of water. "Meeting him is intimidating, but I've been able to calm myself."

"Good." Yang globbed shampoo into her hand and rushed behind Blake, running her fingers through the black follicles as she was helping her wash. "If there were any last anxieties, I assure you, you'll do fine." The blonde picked up her pace as the vicious scrub down became less playful and more on track as time was ticking away. For once, Blake was somber that their time in the shower had a lack of lust. The usual hands roaming where they shouldn't be, the cheeky goosing on each others assets and lips brushing where they please she missed. That spark Yang ignited fructifying as Blake's mind was clearing, old habits spontaneously recovering as she watched the water glide along her girlfriend's voluptuous curves, the Faunus scared she might bruise her lip with how hard she was biting down on it.

As much as they wanted to skip the rest of the beauty regimen after the eternity it took to dry their manes, Blake insisted on gussying up for the first impression. The purple eyeshadow applied two shades darker, her ribbons and bow tightly wrapped to accent her arms and a dab of lip gloss, mostly cause Yang thought it was cute.

Upon exiting the bathroom, Ruby rushed past them. Nature was calling and the senior couple were occupying the space to have the leader let the call ring for far too long. The hard pacing of the heiress was hard to ignore as the other two sat down on the bed, Weiss mumbling something to herself that Blake's Faunus ears could only pick up as mindless gibberish with an occasional word thrown in. She poked at her girlfriend to do something, the blonde not needing more incentive as she captured the slender woman by the shoulders.

"You need to calm down, Weiss," the taller woman ordered her with such a tone that the ice princess wasn't fighting.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Venom in her spray as the ice princess retorted. "You only get one first impression."

"True, but you think you won't have a second, third or forth impressions to smooth it out?" Yang countered. "Our dad is not some authoritarian that is going to demand the perfect partner for his daughters. If anything, he will be worried that I'm corrupting a beautiful, young Faunus with my devilish charms and rebellious nature." Blake liked the tucked-away angelic compliment in between the self-love. That sentiment held true as she knew some of Yang's habits rubbed off on her. "I don't know what Ruby hasn't said to calm you down, but there's no possible way you'll repeat that sass-filled performance from when you first met us. Ruby's probably been hyping you up to the point where you can't live up to it, but even if you come close to that perfection, our dad will be overjoyed."

Yang's words seemed to have an effect, the heiress' worried gaze softening with a small smile. "Thanks, Yang."

"No problem. We'll give you some breathing room. Blake and I will window shop and pop in the restaurant early to get some more time with him if he's there." Yang walked towards the door, Blake leaving her own parting words before joining her girlfriend.

"I'm scared too, but I was able to calm down reasoning that this could be my new family one day. Being part of the Xiao Longs is comforting after knowing Ruby and Yang as people. Only a nurturing father could have raised girls as remarkable as them with all they've gone through," Blake giving a bracing pat on shoulder before joining her girlfriend.

The Vale downtown was getting ready for the coming winter, storefronts advertizing the latest trends in jackets, jeans and, warm comfort foods for the cold weather. Blake waved all the signs off as she knew she was in perpetual orbit with Yang most of the time, the blonde's glow always set to the perfect heat. She could tell her partner was making a beeline for the restaurant, but could feel her head rubbernecking when certain stores caught her attention, the Faunus losing her girlfriend for a moment as she was stuck in front of the shop she liked least.

"Aww! Look at all of you. You're so cute!" the high-pitched squeak of a cuteness overload that Blake knew too well. A litter of Labrador puppies were clamoring at the window, each of their tiny yelps like Nevermore talons to a chalkboard as the Faunus' body tensed up. She returned to leash her girlfriend by the wrist, having to drag her away from the display. "Not yet. This one has a little fat belly. I want to take a picture for Weiss."

"Weiss can take her own picture. She'll probably head down this road with Ruby," Blake said, one last tug getting the blonde going, head still craning as she was walking away.

"You are such a sourpuss when it comes to dogs. You do know, if we weren't in school, we'd be at home with Zwei."

"Zwei I'm slowly building a tolerance for and only him. Don't think that would extend to the other mangy mongrels of his kind. Also, you may need to give up on him. If either you and Ruby move out, Zwei will have to go to someone and that someone will be Weiss."

"She does love his visits more than either Ruby and I do. It's scary how much she loves dogs. I can imagine her with a fleet of well-trained purebreds of each kind, her at the helm with a whistle and a treat bag," Yang joked, but Blake finding it a plausible scenario with how many dogs the heiress grew up with.

Blake rushing away from the pet store put them ahead of schedule, the restaurant already busy for the famous Sunday brunch. Yang approached the hostess mid-busing another party to get the permission to roam the floor for her father who was already seated. The Faunus unconsciously squeezed her girlfriend's hand as she met a man's blue eyes that lit up when he saw the massive golden mane.

"Yang!" the man's voiced rang, startling some of tables around him. If everything else wasn't a tip off to the man being Yang's father, the ever-spouting delight in his voice and bone-crushing hug he gave when her girlfriend jumped in his arms was the definite giveaway.

"I missed you, Dad," Yang breaking away as Blake observed the family reunion from a distance.

"Good to see you too, kid. Did you get new boots? You look taller. I know you've been working harder from the news. Practically strangling me with your arms."

"Maybe I grew an inch or two."

"Oh don't say that. I can't hear more news of my little girls growing up without me around."

"You might want to cancel seeing Ruby then," Yang joked, the blonde not forgetting the main reason Blake was tagged along, sneaking her hand and presenting her to her father. "Dad. She's the person I've been wanting you to meet. This is Blake Belladonna, my girlfriend."

As Blake got a full picture of the patriarch, he's slightly less professional as she imagined. His blonde hair was graying around the edges, style either naturally disheveled or chooses to keep his bedhead. Under his dark, brown blazer was a white collared shirt that wasn't buttoned all the way on the top, a few hairs of his tufted chest sprouting out from the opening. The other half was dressed in matching slacks and heavy professional boots. He was definitely a teacher, but one that didn't follow the usual dress code.

"Nice to meet you, Sir." Blake outstretched her hand to greet Yang's father.

"The pleasure is all mine. I've heard a lot about my girl's partners. You're as cute as she claimed you to be." Blake held back a snort as she noticed the man's charm mirrored his daughter's. "Please take a seat." The three maneuvered to the table, Blake and Yang sitting next to each other as the patriarch took to the opposite side. "Ruby says she may be running late. Should we order without her?"

"I figured as much. I know you may want to play games, but be nice to her girlfriend. We left her almost hyperventilating. You don't mind staying longer, do you?"

"Not at all. So long as they keep these pear and cranberry bellinis coming, I'll groove myself to the seat." The man raised his glass and took a generous sip. "I'll send her a text telling her not to worry, but I really don't know where to start. Yang, I want to hear all about you, but Miss Belladonna, I'm more intrigued about you."

Blake anticipated a cross-examination from the elder, but still tensed up when both pairs of eyes were directed on her. Like Yang's father, she didn't know where to start either. "Well... I'm a student, same grade as Yang. I use a chain-sickle with modded handgun attachments as my weapon..."

"No. no." The man held back a laugh as he interrupted the Faunus. "What I meant was, who are you? What brought you to Beacon and not the equally prestigious academy of Signal?"

She didn't know quite what he was angling towards, but was glad the atmosphere was still fair as he wore a large grin. She didn't know how much Yang had divulged to her father about her past or her heritage, but kept to a truncated version of who she was and her history. Blake was eased as the patriarch sat quietly, taking in all the information as she doled it out, hanging on every word. With his eased body language, she felt a nonjudgmental aura around him, the Faunus already taking a strong liking to him.

"After the initiation and team formation, I didn't expect to fall in love with your daughter, but she was persistent about including me with the team. That tenacity opened my eyes to see her in a romantic light and I'm glad I let myself give into it. Yang knows how hard I was fighting it at first."

"I miss the times when I could easily make you blush. You are far-too wise for any of my tricks these days," Yang commenting on Blake's story the only way she knew how, to push the last button to make her flush lightly.

"Fascinating. Yang, this one is a keeper. Blake, run while you still can," the table bursting into laughter with the man's joke. "You're a wonderful person or rather, Faunus, Miss Belladonna."

Blake felt a shock run up her spine as the man called her out, cat ears shooting up under the bow as she sat scared in her seat. "I-I didn't mention..."

"Don't worry. These girls were raised progressively. You're in safe company. I've been a teacher for a very long time. You don't think I wouldn't notice that bow is not for decoration. You can fool most people, but most people also don't realize the bow accessory is to be worn on the back of your head, not on top over ears that have been fluttering during the conversation," he explained, Blake confused at whether be calm or daunted by his deductive skills, wondering if Ozpin's mind worked in similar fashion.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to gloss over it."

"Don't be. You, like so many of my students, have your reasons. You are far sharper than most with your guise. I once had a student wear a ten-gallon hat to hide his antlers. A large breeze in the first week had him exposed," the patriarch said as he took a sip from his beverage. "I apologize for calling you out. It wasn't my place."

"No. It's... it was unexpected, but I think it might be for the best. Starting off our relationship on a lie was not my best option when I came to Beacon. Seems pretty illogical to repeat the same mistake," Blake reasoned.

"It does put a lot of what you do into perspective then, especially when I occasionally see my girls names or photos in the news. I'm assuming you were also participating in these horrifically dangerous endeavors?"

"Yeah she is. She helped orchestrate the last one. A small victory, but a victory none the less," Yang chimed in.

"Ugg, I wish you would be less enthusiastic about diving head-first into danger. Unfortunately, that's how I know you and Ruby were born of the same cloth. Both your mothers didn't hesitate when in came to protecting the public. Seeing you girls in the paper make me so proud, but then I feel my ulcer acting up as I read of the massive collateral damage done."

"We're fine, Dad. You don't need to worry about us."

"Famous last words of your mom. Don't talk me out of worrying. I'm your father. I'd be worrying if you were a bank teller on Patch. Just be glad I'm not one of those dads whose trying to talk you out of this. You and Ruby's eyes would sparkle when we'd tell you stories of past missions. I remember the first fighting lesson I took you to. You were a natural and I had never seen you smile harder. What kind of father would I be if I didn't support my daughter's dreams?"

"You know I'd just rebel."

"Believe me, I know," the tone in his voice straining of a long list of turbulent tales of his free-spirited daughter. "I could fixate on what could happen, but as a huntsman myself, I see the noble work you girls have done. A lot more is getting accomplished because bureaucracy and money isn't slowing your decisions. You're doing what your heart feels is right and I encourage you to keep following it. It's part of the reason I never stop you girls. It's a hard pill to swallow, but your happiness is worth the worry."

Blake couldn't help but notice her own worries paralleling the patriarch's. Like he, the Faunus wanted Adam to come to his own accord about coming back, but it seems his decision is unwavering in what he was going to do. She wasn't ready to slip out of her denial, but she knew the time was coming where she would have to give up on him. To have the fortitude like Yang's father to accept that this is what Adam is now and changing him is not worth the festering hatred in her. She shelved the headache away as her shrimp cocktail arrived with her strawberry-syrup waffles and chicken.

The trio sat and enjoyed a more lighthearted conversation, Yang and Blake going over the average days at school. Her father seemed more interested in the faculty, seemingly old collages back when he was a huntsman full-time from the ways he questioned about Oobleck and Ozpin. Although good times were being shared, the Faunus relieved the man was living up to her admiral expectations, in the back of her mind, she wondered where Ruby and Weiss could be.

As she was scraping her plate with a waffle to get the last of the flavorful syrup, something caught Yang's father attention, Blake turning around to see his youngest daughter and Weiss in tow. "Ruby!"

"Dad!" their leader ran over and emulated the same greeting Yang got.

"I thought I was sad when I saw how much Yang had grown. Look at you, though. I can't call either of you my little girls anymore," he highly praised.

"Good thing I can still call you, old man. You're getting grayer." Ruby reached out and brushed the fluffy sides of his hair.

"You'll get there too. How about your friend? What color does her hair change to when she stresses?" the patriarch eager to meet the heiress as he diverted his attention to her.

"A question that will be answered later. But Dad, this is my girlfriend, Weiss Schnee."

"Pleased to meet you finally, Mr Xiao Long," Weiss politely lending out her hand, the man indecisive to take the offering from his curious stare, the salutation taking an uncomfortably long time with the questioning to get a fix on Weiss.

"Likewise. Schnee, was it?"

"Y-yeah," the ice princess not knowing where this was headed.

"As in Schnee Dust Company, Schnee," he came again.

"Yes. I'm the daughter of the company's CEO," Weiss replied.

The patriarch released her hand, taking a few deep breathes as the information was sinking in. "I didn't think I'd be this nervous when meeting my daughter's partners. Ruby, you never told me that you're dating Vale royalty."

"You never told him my last name?" Cold eyes piercing through the younger girl.

"It never came up," she attempted to play off. "I told him other endlessly flattering things about you, though."

"That part is true. I recall nights where I had to cut her off because she's so enamored with you," he replied, the heiress relaxing her stare as she felt the father's approval. "Now, please, take a seat. You girls must be hungry."

"Sorry to be so late," Weiss taking the blame. "I was taking far too long to calm down. I know you're nervous, Sir, but I assure you, the feeling is mutual."

"Glad honesty is partaken around the table. Do order girls. So long as these beverages are complimentary, I will be staying here till they force me out." The man flagged down a waiter as he asked for a round of stems for the table. "Now, because I know you are bursting to tell me everything, let me take my acid-reduction medication. Yang gave me a preview and I know my imagination will not need to fill in details with your exaggerated storytelling."

"You have stomach problems, for real? I thought that was a joke," Yang asked.

"It was till the new job caught up with me."

"New job!?" the sisters flabbergasted at the news.

"I was saving it for when we were all here to announce the news. Girls, you are looking at the new headmaster for Signal Academy." Blake was surprised to hear it, but the sisters jaws dropped to the table as 'headmaster' slipped past his lips.

"Oh my goodness, Dad. That's incredible. How did this happen?" Ruby spastically inquired.

"Putting in your time. I loved teaching and the couple years after your mom passed made me appreciate developing a new generation of huntsmen and huntresses even more. After that generous sabbatical, the staff and the higher ups noticed an evident change in my teaching that was ultimately benefiting students. They kept me in that position as long as they could, but then decided I was better suited to administrator something larger than a couple classrooms and turned me onto the academy."

A flurry of questions came at the patriarch, even Weiss chipping in with the intricacies of how he rose to such a prestigious position. As soon as Ruby and Weiss' meals arrived, Yang nudged Blake, making their exit. "This has been fun, Dad, but Blake and I have to be somewhere."

"Oh, that's a shame. As headmaster, I may be overwhelmed and see you even less, if that were possible. Still..." The man got up and hugged his daughter tight. "This was fun. I hope it's not too long before we're able to do this again."

"Absolutely."

Blake extended her hand for her goodbye. "Thanks for having us."

"We're past handshaking now," the man coming in for a swift and strong hug. "You're family now. Please keep my daughter in check. She's our wild card," the man gave a pat on the shoulder and a wink as he left, the feeling of kindred bonding imprinted as she left

As the couple were departing, the burning question needed to be asked. "Were you lying back there? I'm sure you wanted to spend more time with him."

"I do, but I got this text from Ruby," the blonde showed her scroll as proof. "Seems she wanted to discuss something private or have some time for Weiss to get to know him. Either way, totally valid as we had that extra half hour with him. Let's just head back."

Blake was compliant with the answer and followed suit, the day peaking with the sun shining behind a small coverage of clouds. As they were out, getting light shopping done was convenient, Blake stopping in a bookstore for a couple new additions to her collection. As she finalized her purchase, her girlfriend was nowhere to be found. A quick scan up and down the aisles would have revealed her. As she was about to call her, it dawned to her at what store they were parallel to.

The Faunus looked across the street, the blonde mane slipping past the glass door to play with the canines. She wanted to call her out, but she wasn't to be bested by the flea bags, Blake marching over into Yang's trap. Upon entering, the blonde mane was not to be found, Blake meandering the store until she came to one of the more meticulous displays in the business, the aquarium.

*-Yang-*

It was impossible to not notice the black mass of hair walk through the entrance, Yang placing her steps carefully to not be detected. She knew Blake was going to end up in the back, the fishy fixture more impressive to the cat-like tendencies of her girlfriend. As she noticed her partner making her way to the destination, Yang asked an employee for a puppy, the rascally fellow eager to play, but the blonde quelled his excitement long enough to sneak up on Blake.

Yang couldn't resist broadly smiling whenever her feline traits would manifest themselves in some of the most common stereotypes. Blake had forbid extorting them on her, the use of cheap tactics demeaning, but the blonde would keep a laser pointer around for the times she was in trouble and needed a quick escape. Her affinity for fish may give her breath a strong odor, but Yang relished in the scent whenever she'd bite down into anchovies on their post-coitus pizza. With Blake being as tough and independent as she was made it all the more sweeter when she'd cuddle with Yang, the tranquility of it all as she looked blissful buried into the blonde's sides.

Yang, however, was going to break the rule with a Labrador puppy in hand and a bag of catnip muzzling his mouth, shocking the Faunus as her eyes were darting back and forth, tracking the next shiny fish that caught her attention. "My new friend has a treat for you."

The Faunus let out a hushed scream, almost hissing with the effort to not cause a scene. She skirted away, keeping a safe distance from the canine. "Yang, get that thing away from me. And for the millionth time, catnip doesn't effect me."

The blonde freed the pup from its restraint, a couple high-pitched barks making her partner flinch. "Awe, don't be so mad," the blonde raising her voice to a cooing tone as she nuzzled her nose to the cold wetness. "How could you even frown when looking at this face?"

"Very easily. In fact, one could say it's a reflex."

"Don't be surprised if why Ruby requested to be alone with my Dad is to ask him if Zwei needs an elongated vacation in our dorm room," Yang teased, Blake buying into it.

"You sounded too confident when you said that. I know I'm in the minority in the room in my affection for him, but I would hope both of you have the heart to take my aversion to him into consideration," Blake heatedly appealed, the fury intensifying as Yang's steak-ridden breath got the attention of the hound, the puppy reaching up and taking a few generous licks on her lips. "Eww. Positively repulsive."

"Dogs mouths are cleaner than ours. It's no big deal."

"That is a misconception that you dog-lovers seem to fall into. Put him away and wash your mouth or don't expect anything intimate past hand-holding." The ire real as Blake directed her to the washroom. Yang was used to the usual shriek and scolding of the phobic Faunus, but as she was washing her face and hands, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the conversation that Blake wasn't unveiling.

She made her way back to the aquarium, Blake still mesmerized by the fish, but the enchantment was muddled with her closed off body language, the Faunus lacking interest as she performed her usual routine. Yang walked up next to her, not knowing how to start so instead gazed at the fish as well. She didn't know if it was the rich, vibrant array of fish, or the lighting that complimented the sea animals, but the blonde saw perhaps what her girlfriend sees when she stares at the tank. The calm humming of the filter draining into the water and the graceful way the fish swayed in the environment shaped a still serenity to the air.

"Did your dad ever tell you how he felt when he came to the conclusion that he couldn't stop you and to let you be yourself?" the Faunus breaking the placidity, the somber tone matching her expression in the reflection. It was faint, but Yang could see it now, the grief in her amber eyes.

"I actually remember that day like it was yesterday. After the lost of our mom, Dad tried so hard to get Ruby and I to stop being huntresses. We were good kids, but I disobeyed that rule a lot, my influence on Ruby having her always along for the ride so we got in trouble together. Whether it was my dad or Uncle Qrow dragging us in from another close call, I could see the struggle he was having. I know it was premature to say then, but we'd reassure him that we were fine and no Grimm would get at us. One night he snapped at us, and that's how both of us discovered that Mom's death may not have been a simple disappearance." Blake's eyes met hers in the reflection with that declaration, Yang continuing her story as she locked her gaze.

"That knowledge shook our core, Ruby and I afraid to go back out past city walls. If our mom couldn't do it, then what hope did we have. We stayed inside, our weapons collecting dust in the garage as a couple months flew by, being a huntress a distant dream not worth achieving at that point. Dad saw it, and either felt guilty or came to terms with it, but one day gave me my keys to Bumblebee and a box of shells for Ember Celica. He said as you heard, 'What kind of father would I be if I didn't support my daughter's dreams.' He was telling the truth, but there was an insincerity to it... that he knew we were growing into our own people and watching us break away from him, or the possibility of us being taken away, is still a fear he has."

The established serenity felt tainted with the heavy memories of Yang's past, the blonde resolving to stay silent to have her partner make the first move. The brawler caught herself getting distracted as the long muteness continued, a few of the fish dancing in front of her, whisking away to the ebb and flow of the tank. "It all sounds too familiar," the Faunus spoke up. "I don't want to say it, but it doesn't make it any less true. Adam and I have grown apart and he's not coming back … no matter what tactics I try."

Yang stopped herself from her immediate reaction to comfort as a side thought arose. It was dismal, but maybe it wasn't all bad. "Blake, you may be right, that this is how it is and putting in the effort is a waste of our time, but realizing this might be an actual step forward," the blonde turning as she met shaking amber eyes. "We drift apart from people we love as we grow older. It's happening to you and Adam. It's happening to Ruby and I as well as my dad. It's heartbreaking, but it's inevitable at times. However, as we drift apart from some people, we grow closer to others. I know it's appalling to say, but if these are the people we had to grow apart to meet each other, and this miserable trek is what we have to walk, then it's worth it if the road ends with you."

"You can't possibly believe that," Blake questioned back.

"I may not believe it, but I mean it. Growing apart doesn't necessarily lead to being cut off. My dad and Ruby will always be a part of life, but the constant figure I see when I think of the future is us. I'd be on a different path if my dad didn't let me go just as you'd be elsewhere if you didn't defect from Adam and The White Fang," Yang justified, the Faunus fighting the rationale inside her, the lapping of the filter like pounding gears on a clock as the dragging seconds scraped by.

"But I... I'm not ready to admit it... That he's too far gone," Blake morosely lamented.

"And that's fine. I don't think we can rush this. I can't speak for my dad, but it took him two months to give me my freedom and he didn't look ready either." Yang took a step forward, the Faunus not resisting as she reciprocated the blonde's inspirited hug. She didn't care if there were a few people gawking as the two were holding each other, the brawler taking as much time needed until the Faunus was pacified.

Blake placed a kiss on her cheek, eyes unburdened as she came up from Yang's shoulder. "I didn't mean to snap earlier. Your furry friend broke my concentration when I was thinking, but you helped me finish my thought process."

"Sorry and no problem, I guess?" the blonde unsure of what to do first. "I didn't know it was weighing on you. I thought it was the usual of hiding in the back while I play with the pups and buy a little something for Zwei."

"Your father said some illuminating things at the table. It's one of those events that happen, but you don't think about it too often. We all have lost contact with people we were once really close with, but, with life being so restless at times, it doesn't even dawn on you until it's too late. Then you're offered a brief window of sadness, only for life to take control and that person be a distant memory."

"Adam seems like a pretty large window by that definition." Yang directed them both to the door.

"He was a large presence in my life. I was luckily able to forget him and focus when I came to Beacon, but I also think I had a good distraction." The Faunus reached for Yang's hand as they made their purchases and exited the store, the blonde warmed that even before they got together her and the team were able to help the closed-off Faunus. Yang was happy to be outdoors without the crashing and wailing of Grimm hot on their tail, their partner mission going over mostly swimmingly until she ran headfirst into a trap. It may have been the city's downtown, but there was still an ambiance of fresh air, carefree attitude and a little harshness of the city smog, but it was pleasant. She couldn't tell why Blake was mushing them back to the dorm so soon, the Faunus more appreciative of the outdoors than herself, but Yang always found it hard to enjoy anything when her significant other wasn't. Rather than fighting it, she went along with her girlfriend back to the dorm.

Yang plopped her plastic bag on the bed, sorting out the many new toys for Zwei as she was expecting his next arrival. A chew toy she was immaturely squeaking fell out of her hand as she was jolted by the subtle, but fulsome touch of fingers to her bare stomach. Two soft mounds pressed against her back, the fingers making their rounds around the trim waist as she felt the warm breath of her lover graze the back of her ear.

Yang, being caught off-guard, atypically asked, "What-what's happening here?"

"So used to taking control that you forgot what it's like when I initiate," the Faunus purred into her ear, the small hairs on her neck standing at attention as her lover's lips were outlining her earlobe. "It has been awhile, hasn't it?"

Like a final tumbler to a safe, Yang's mind cracked and the Pandora's box of sex and all of the pent up desires of her dry streak were released. She had forgone bothering Blake about it. She knew when her pestering would be a nuisance and the Faunus' cold shoulder was icy enough to keep the relationship on a low heat as she was handling her emotions. This ambush, although startling at first, the blonde was leaning into, wanting to enfold her body with Blake's, her girlfriend keeping her in place as her commanding attitude kept her from jumping her bones. "What brought this about?"

"It's taken a while, but you stoked a dying fire since we first talked. I'm a lot better today thanks to you and I think that's deserving of some compensation," the undeniable smooth grain of Blake's tongue lightly tracing her ear, the Faunus brushing aside the length of hair as she nipped the shoulder.

Hands fought against fabric as the delicate digits snaked their way up Yang's shirt, the other working on the belt, Yang aiding to free herself from the accessory. "Didn't think you'd have this fast a turnaround, not that I'm complaining." The blonde's hand wanted to be a part of the action as well, arms contorting their best to slide around Blake's hips, tightly pulling down on her white shorts to be reminded of something else that was white. "We didn't ask Ruby or Weiss. Lets make this quick."

"No need," the Faunus' assertiveness firmly established as Yang's hands were swatted away before revealing her fit behind. Blake flipped up her scroll, the blonde seeing how productive her partner was as she was fiddling around with dog toys. The texts between her girlfriend and sister shed some light on the Faunus' bold actions.

"_Ruby. I could really use a favor._"

"_Sure, Blake. What do you need?_"

"_Could you and Weiss possibly stay out of the room till dinner?_"

"_Umm... alright. Why's that?_" the question immediately clicking in the leader's head as two more texts followed in rapid succession. "_WAIT! Don't answer. I get it._" "_Just... make sure to not make it obvious. I'm going to use this as an opportunity to be spontaneous and romantic in wanting to spend more time with Weiss._"

"_Not a problem, Ruby. Thanks again._"

The Faunus tossed the scroll at the bookshelf, a near accident avoided as it was one bounce away from sailing out the window. Blake utilized her diversion, her free hand actively working on the buttons to Yang's jacket as she was distracted reading the messages, her palms overflowing as she vigorously squeezed the massive mammaries. She let out a soft breath as her girlfriend's fingers cognitive map of her body was working up the blonde, tips tantalizing the nipples beneath the layers of clothing. The first one being shed as Blake relieved her of her tan coat. "We're not wasting time, are we?"

"Let's make this count." The Faunus nibbled on her earlobe, Yang feeling the lust as she whispered in her ear. "We have a month to make up for."

Blake spun the blonde in her arms and firmly pushed her to the sheets. Yang propped herself on her elbows, the sight before her sending an electric chill through her with amber eyes half-lidded with longing, irises glimmering as the sun was dipping under the trees in the Emerald Forest. Yang was used to leading the sessions, the Faunus always willing to follow as their sex always was a fun adventure that ended with an abundance of orgasms. The blonde was fortunate to find such a participating partner, the early days where the Faunus would passively lie there a distant memory as she came to her sexual peak one blissful night when Yang's training had her game handicapped, Blake picking up the torch and freely sharing the control with her since. It was a rare night when the predator within Blake would present itself to the brawler, Yang scared as she saw the hungry glint in her eye, the Faunus licking her lips as she inspected her girlfriend. Tonight, Yang was prey and she was dripping with anticipation about being devoured by Blake.

The Faunus popped her vest button off as she ripped her black garment off. Next came the boots, Yang almost getting yanked off the bed as her footwear proved too tight. Blake tossed her small cutie booties along with hers and climbed on top of her lover, her lips meeting her target as the blonde matched the ferocity of the kiss. The few tentative pecks escalated quickly as the Faunus' tongue begged entrance into Yang, the blonde meetings hers halfway, guiding her into her mouth as the slippery masses danced. She moaned as an occasional flicker from the Faunus would force a moan escape her.

As Blake was pushing all the right buttons, Yang was annoyed she couldn't push back, small whimpers pleading to let her hands roam, but the Faunus had her wrists high above her head, pinning them to the pillows so she could have her feast first as the other hand was engrossed with her ample chest. Her nimble fingers slithered under her bright, cherry bra, palm massaging the mound as the nub was being tweaked betwixt her digits. She imagined her hardened bud could crack through diamond as it was throbbing with blood until the Faunus moved her leg between her thighs, the blonde not sure if her juices has seeped through her shorts but now were coating her lover's leg with the sweet residue.

Yang found her chance to fight back, Blake releasing her momentarily to relieve her of her yellow singlet. The blonde motioned upwards to disrobe the Faunus, her partner still in control as she motioned her to her neck, Yang complying as she roughly kissed the tender flesh. She had to break from her claiming as Blake lifted her white top over her head, the scarf coming with it, giving Yang more canvas to mark her. The Faunus couldn't stop the love bites from forming as she unwrapped her arms from the ribbons, the blonde needing a breather and mashed her forehead with Blake's.

The firm hands wrapped around the base of her head, the Faunus planting more delirious kisses onto the blonde, Yang having to forcefully pull away as the lightheadedness was getting to her. Garnished with a drool line that broke on the side of her lip, chest and face flushed with her lungs also deprived from air. The Faunus was in full form, the thirst still needed quenching from their dry streak. With her girlfriend so lost in the session, she could have easily forgotten a most oppressive of accessory, Yang reaching up and untying the ribbon from her cat ears, the appendages fluttering as the cool air hit them. She almost reflexively slapped at Blake's hands as they too were releasing her from a garment now straining her breathing. She tossed the crimson bra to the side of the bed, the Faunus' carnal gaze losing the fight to be polite as her eyes were darting back from the impressive sight before her.

Yang assumed to her former position, awaiting the passionate pounce that came after as Blake secured her to the bed. Lips mashed together as their tongues played tag with one enough as they wistfully slid from mouth-to-mouth. Blake's lips trailed down as they found their place on top of one of the blonde's pearl peaks. Yang knew the mastery of the Faunus' tongue would send her into the first plateau of ecstasy, the brawler quickly removing the royal purple, lacy top of Blake in time for her tongue to roll over the aroused bud. She bit her lip to keep her howls from the halls, her body willingly accepting Blake's magnetism and arched into her, the Faunus giving a small nip to a tip as the blonde's nails dug into her back.

The suckling watery sounds of Blake worshiping each breast and the whimpering moans of Yang rang together in the still room. She had her arms wrapped around her, making sure to keep the Faunus thrilling her as the ecstasy bolted through her with each flick. Her heightened senses felt her girlfriend's hand work its way down her tight stomach, hand drifting past the hem of her shorts to go through the fabric. The warmth from her hands met her core, her center already bathed in fluid as Blake's work effortlessly produced results. Her partner stopped, the blonde feeling her eyes flaring red as she so close to finishing, desperately wanting to forcefully place the Faunus' hand back until she saw the puzzlement in Blake's face. Her hand was soaked, even through her panties and shorts, it was impressive.

Blake took an enticing lick. From palm to finger, she didn't miss a drop. "I think I taste the fabric, but still delicious," she murmured back.

"I have a way to fix that." Yang's hands unzipped her shorts, the Faunus carrying the task through and ridding her girlfriend of the last of her clothing. As Blake climbed back on the bed, her position shifted, her shapely behind in front of the blonde, a dark spot stamping the white fabric from the excitement she's had while partaking in Yang's body.

"I know you like the reveal." Blake's hand slinked between her and unbuttoned her shorts, twisting lightly as she presented herself. The blonde unhurriedly peeled off her shorts, the magnificence of the Faunus' butt Yang boasts unlimited pleasure from was bare hovering above her. She puckered and left a few more brands to a cheek before setting her sights lower, Blake's lips red and wet with yearning. Without warning, she felt her nether lips be spread, a weakened sigh emitting from the blonde as Blake indulged herself on the sweet nectar.

Yang wasn't to be rude and pick at her meal, the blonde devotedly giving Blake's cavern the same attention. However, she didn't predict the Faunus to gorge herself so heartily, the blonde unsure if she could match her pace as the Faunus dutifully ravaged her mound. Yang was at a disadvantage, her hands having to prop up her girlfriend's bottom as her legs would tremor when Yang's tongue would swirl around the engorged clit, sucking till she heard the feeble shriek come from the other end. To her dismay, Blake had the use of her fingers, arm wrapped around the blonde's leg to steady the twitching as Blake would ease a digit in, combing over her most sensitive spot, orchestrating her jerking reactions like a conductor.

The wetness flowed from the Faunus, a collection pooling in Yang's cleavage, spilling over her chest as she continued her assault with her tongue. She wriggled over the folds, plunging her tip as far as she could to get to the source of the nectar. Folding her tongue, channeling the flowing liquid not enough to satiate her appetite, the blonde's neck straining to keep her head elevated. The Faunus added a second digit forcing her to submit, hands gripping tight to the firm thighs as Blake was riding her to climax.

"Don't stop!" Vocal cords tweaking as she screamed. Yang was plugged in, electricity firing through her as Blake was taking her to that final destination. The Faunus' mouth had enveloped the pulsing pearl, tongue skillfully spiraling as her hands penetrated her passage. The blonde felt every groove in her fingers as the heated walls squeezed the life out of the digits, the raking sweeping inside her had her hips undulating to the cadence of Blake's accord. Her partner's breasts rested atop her taught stomach, bust bobbing with her as Yang's body was surging underneath, her hard nipples stroking through her strapping midriff. The Faunus slithered down her crevasse, massaging the folds with her wet muscle, getting only a meager serving of her girlfriend's honey as she scoured her slit.

Red trails threaded on the Faunus' legs, Yang calling out Blake's name as the last of the rapid thrusting had pushed her over the edge. Her legs locked on Blake on arrival, her essence gushing onto the sheets as her body convulsed to the beat of her orgasm. The involuntary waning was a divine crippling as the feeling erupted from her vagina coursing through her. The lack of air had her head spinning, the superb euphoria overtaking her, the body melding to the dampness of the bed as she sunk into sweet oblivion. As her vision began to focus, with head propped up on her pillow, she could see the moonlight silhouette of Blake, a shimmering glimmer coating her hands was vigorously being cleaned off by the Faunus. The sight alone breathtaking as the blonde watched from the end, Yang fighting the draining bliss to give Blake the same felicity.

With legs still spasming, she collided into her girlfriend, the Faunus pleasantly surprised to see her girlfriend up and raring to go. "What's got you so fired up?" Blake teased initially, her expression growing worried as the blonde's heaving hadn't composed herself. "Yang?"

"You," she breathed out, getting to her feet and dragging her partner to the edge of the bed by her shorts. Blake's mood flipped as she jubilantly giggled as the blonde wrestled the rest of the Faunus' garments off of her.

"Oh my goodness. This might be the fastest recovery from you ever," Blake egged on. The same contorting gesture she used to make her arrive was asking her to come hither, Yang obeying, but felt like returning the favor early.

The blonde flipped the Faunus on her stomach, legs holding sturdy as her entrance was lifted high for Yang's viewing pleasure. The crease's fluids still oozed from her lips, the moistness glinting against the soft, silver light on her inner thigh. The Faunus' milky skin glowed along with her amber eyes craning around her shoulder, her gaze peaking past her damp bangs screaming 'ravish me'. Yang mounted her, hand cupping, caressing her lover's nether lips, the blonde not forgetting to capture the other pair. Blake breathlessly accepted her messy gesture, the blonde tasting a candied mixture of her and Blake's vigor as they exchanged a loving kiss.

* * *

><p>"I think this is the most romantic place we've cuddled," Blake sarcastically put out, still beaming a smile as she was on her side admiring the blonde beauty across from her.<p>

"We were running out of time, but I wasn't done with you yet," the blonde teased back, bringing in the Faunus closer as she readjusted her arms.

"You're just lucky I cleaned the bathroom two days ago, because we'd already be dressed and out the door," Blake mentioned, Yang getting serendipitous as her plan to be less conspicuous fell awry when her scroll vibrated for a full minute. Ruby sent a storm of messages making it explicit that her and Weiss were on campus, the couple having to scramble to straighten up the room. Clothes were simple. The bedspread, which held most of the secretions and scents of their love-making, was not. With the only other option to toss the mattress out the window, the duo ripped the sheets off and scurried to the hamper in the bathroom. As elegant a fighters both of them were, tripping over the long red comforter wasn't beneath them. Catching the Faunus' fall was painful, but quickly became fun as they entangled with each other's eyes. The narrow luminescence from the moon captured the couple as they lay, Yang figuring they enjoy their break from the dry streak a little longer and lay there.

A muffled knock came from beyond the door separating them, Yang dying for the most beloved of rituals. "The door is open. The money is on the table to your right," she yelled from the floor.

"It's not the pizza boy. It's me," the smaller voice of Ruby popping into the room. "I caught him before he knocked and paid him... Where are you, girls? Oh my goodness, are you even decent?"

"We're in the bathroom, and kind of, but not really. Sorry for not being inconspicuous. It sort of didn't dawn on either of us that the pizza would be a giveaway after you gave us panic attacks with your texts."

"It's fine. Weiss will figure it out, but we had a really nice date after meeting with Dad. She'll forgive it so long as the anchovies are the only thing she smells when she comes in. I take it you won't be joining us for dinner."

"Nah. If you can leave a fresh pair of clothes next to the door before leaving, you'd be the best little sister ever," Yang asked with a heavy ring in her tone, Ruby complying and tossing them at the threshold. When the sound of latch clicked, Yang returned to her partner, only to be disappointed as a hard grumble knew she had to get up and eat.

"You can have an extra slice of my half if you need it," the Faunus' generosity spurred by her hungry girlfriend. Yang inched closer, nuzzling her girlfriend's nose. A little squeal squeaked past her as the blonde covertly worked her hands up to fondle her cat ears, fluttering excitedly from the passion. Yang got one last warm squeeze before letting her get dressed.

"_Absolutely brilliant, undeniably sexy, genuinely... genuinely all heart. You're so benign, Blake, and I'm sad that the way the world is forces you to hide away from it to not get hurt again. Seeing you not smile for any length of time isn't enjoyable. This month was breaking my heart to pieces seeing how much my efforts couldn't breathe life back into you. As great as it was having sex, it was better seeing that intensity back inside you. You're ready to finish this and I'll be there when you ask for me to make the first strike._"


	34. Weiss: The Hard Sell

So with Hanukkah approaching, I will be adding onto my one-shot The Light That Shadows in The Night. It was supposed to be a one-shot, but I decided to make it an annual thing with different couples. This year will be Jaune and Pyrrha because I've wanted to do more with them. Also, the White Rose pic is done and my artist, Bakki, will be posting it soon so check out his dArt page. I remember it was around this time 2 years ago that I started writing and working out this story. Over 30 chapters in and still going strong. Purchase all things this Black Friday. Thanks for all the support and see you next time.

Weiss: The Hard Sell

It was a beautiful Sunday morning. The sun was shining and the birds were chirping in the last few warm days of the Autumn weather. Vale was quiet as the last day of the weekend was beginning and Beacon's students were in a sweet slumber as they were utilizing their day to catch up on some much needed sleep. The dorm room was still, the heiress the only one up as this Sunday, in particular, she and the rest of the team had a date with someone she's been dreading to meet, Taiyang Xiao Long, Ruby and Yang's father.

She'd woken up intermittently in the night, her dreams unsettling as a man was stomping around and slowly turning it into a nightmare. She was able to fall back to sleep as she pulled Ruby in tighter, the belief that she would protect her if something were to go wrong at the brunch calming her enough to slip back into shut-eye. She felt a stabbing sensation hitting the pit of her stomach, the nausea that she gave herself an ulcer from her anxiousness hitting the pain even harder as she was caught between a rock and a hard place.

"_I can't believe I'm this nervous about meeting the single most important figure in Ruby's life. Well, when I put it that way... it still doesn't calm me down. I don't want to be this tightly wound when I meet him. The last time that happened was when I first met the team. I was nervous first coming here. Having so much to prove made me a tad overly-venomous and gave me the moniker Ice Queen. I have a lot to prove to her father, but the last thing I want is him referring to me as something worse when my back is turned._"

A hard thud came across the room, Weiss so lost in her thought that she didn't hear the usual morning mumbling of the other couple as they woke each other up with sweet nothings and cuddling that was bending the rooms rules to their fullest extent. The flaps to the privacy tent whipped open, the blonde poking her head in again without permission. Weiss, already annoyed, placed her finger over Yang's mouth before her morning cheeriness woke Ruby.

The older sister was motioned to the sleeping one, the blonde understanding what the heiress was getting at and lowered her voice. "We were going to use the shower. If you had any qualms about it, I suggest to make your argument now."

"It's fine. Go on ahead. I pushed her too hard as she was just getting off of recovering yesterday. It's partially her fault, though. She couldn't wait to get back into the training room with me. A little extra sleep is probably for the best." The ice princess peered down, her girlfriend sound asleep in her arms. Weiss dabbed away the small drool and brushed away the red-tipped bangs from her eyes. A small snort came from the blonde, the icy glare darted towards the woman who was slacking in her attempt to hide her laughter.

"As long and arduous this process has been, it is also adorable how well you've been taking care of my sister. I didn't think you had it in you to play nurse with Ruby," Yang proclaimed, the woman slipping out of the curtain and shepherded Blake to the bathroom, Weiss hoping that there was no shenanigans going on past the shallow wall. Although she was procrastinating, she knew she had to rush into the shower after them, hopefully Ruby up by the time they are out.

The ice princess did an impromptu inspection of her girlfriend last night as they were changing, the strapping young body clean of any permanent damage that the Grimm could have caused on her mission. The guilt ran strong through Weiss, wondering how much could have been deterred if she hadn't bedridden herself with her ego and stubbornness. "_I'm not even going to try and pass off the idea that I would be less nervous if Ruby was fine. I've heard the way she talks about me to her father. As much as I loved hearing nothing, but the nicest things being said about me, I have a lot to live up to._"

Weiss soon felt her leader stir in her arms, Ruby making herself more awake as she was alerting herself as to what today was. She rustled herself out of bed, Weiss pulling her back as she wasn't ready to let go just yet. "I got to use the restroom, like bad, Weiss."

"Can't you hear the shower going? You can run down to the cafeteria if it's that urgent."

"Nah. It can wait, but not too much longer. Are you excited?" Ruby turned herself towards her partner, the heiress holding as best a brave face as she could as she masked her real emotions from her partner. The sisters almost exploded when they had finally set the date to meet up with their father. Weiss was hoping to find some solace in the Rapier Wasps raging in her stomach, but the Faunus was still emotionally not available for an outpouring of distressing thoughts from the heiress. She didn't know how Blake felt, but she was taking it with stride as opposed to her.

"Of course, Ruby. Seeing as you've met my parents, I'm surprised this hasn't already happened," Weiss lying through her teeth as she deeply smiled back.

"Well, you've kind of met my mom, but this time will be a lot more lively. Dad's a really big charmer and I'm sorry if he pulls any jokes on you. You'll see really quick where Yang gets her charisma," Ruby explained, the leader's account only making her sweat worse if the heiress wasn't able to dissect the conversation to differentiate between humor and real talk.

"So long as his introduction isn't bumping into me and dropping my dust vials like a certain someone did, it should go swimmingly," Weiss said, kissing her girlfriend so she couldn't give enough time to analyze her telltale signs of fibbing. The two lay in the calming patter of the shower, the heiress received a few annoying calls from her scroll, the caller ID being more of her father pestering her about something. She left it to voicemail, spinning a wheel in her mind as to what could possibly need checking up on her this time, although she could take a guess and assume it's about the company.

The recent attacks with The White Fang have given a victim title to the Schnee Dust Company. It's not the worst of labels, but it makes the organization appear weak and inexperienced when it comes to radical revolutionaries. Weiss knew there was a way she could help, but her being put in a pretty dress for a charity event were days she was done with. Winter was more attune to fraternizing with the media anyways. If her father wanted her help, she was going to do it by her own accord.

As the time ticked, she was in the better part of an hour away from possibly having two fathers disappointed in her. Weiss watched as Ruby's blasted off into the bathroom, a few rose petals in her wake as her semblance kicked in from the desperation, leaving Weiss with her thoughts. She paced around the room, the caged Grimm scared as she couldn't get out of what happens next. "_What do I even say to him? Sure, I've done a plenty, but he's an accomplished huntsman, a professor at one of the most prestigious academies in Remnant. I know I've come off less than humble with what could be considered bragging when talking about myself. I practiced all week and could still catch myself hitting that condescending tone. Now that I think about it, it's the same way mother and father talk, actually. I'm walking into a trap..._"

The ice princess jolted as she felt the massive hands of the blonde wring around her shoulders, the usual appeasing lilac eyes bore into her, Weiss more afraid that she hadn't noticed either of Blake or Yang enter the room. "You need to calm down, Weiss," the taller woman ordered her with such a tone that the ice princess stopped fighting.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Weiss irked what Yang was doing by telling her to settle down as she hasn't had to meet Blake's parent's yet. "You only get one first impression."

"True, but you think you won't have a second, third or forth impressions to smooth it out?" Yang countered, the heiress listening as she had no choice in the matter. "Our Dad is not some authoritarian that is going to demand the perfect partner for his daughters. If anything, he will be worried that I'm corrupting a beautiful, young Faunus with my devilish charms and rebellious nature." Weiss peered over to the Faunus, the compliment rising a smile out of raven-haired woman. "I don't know what Ruby hasn't said to calm you down, but there's no possible way you'll repeat that sass-filled performance from when you first met us. Ruby's probably been hyping you up to the point where you can't live up to it. But even if you come close to that perfection, our dad will be overjoyed."

Yang's words rang in her ear, wondering why Ruby hasn't said much of anything to try and calm her down. Her girlfriend wouldn't deceive, but was still glad to hear it from the other sibling. "_She's right. I'm imagining some tyrant like my father. Someone who finds it easier to keep a grudge than forgive, but even if he does have precedence, power, and authority, he's not the same. These girls would be as cold as me if that were the case._"

"Thanks, Yang," a warm smile spreading as she appreciated the sentiment.

"No problem. We'll give you some breathing room. Blake and I will window shop and pop in the restaurant early to get some more time with him if he's there." As Yang walked towards the door, the Faunus whispered her own parting words.

"I'm scared too, but I was able to calm down reasoning that this could be my new family one day. Being part of the Xiao Longs is comforting after knowing Ruby and Yang as people. Only a nurturing father could have raised girls as remarkable as them with all they've gone through." Weiss lauded the words, but not the stiff pat on the shoulder as the couple departed.

Ruby called Weiss into the bathroom, the leader beckoning her girlfriend to stand in front of her with her massive brush in hand. There was something eerily primal of having a brush run through her hair, the feeling more gratifying when it was her partner running the teeth through her white locks. "You seem a lot more relaxed since I last saw you." The ice princess didn't notice the massive smile on her face as she opened her eyes to catch the gray reflection of Ruby's irises.

"With such confidence in your tone, you knew I was ruffled since you told me I was meeting your dad. Yang tried her best to calm me down, making me wonder why you haven't."

"Because I know you wouldn't have listened to me at all." The sprightly ring in her voice Weiss hated as she was in all likelihood correct. Up until they fell asleep, she had been rehearsing every possible question in her head. "I decided to save my breath till now. Weiss, you are one of the most well-liked people on this campus. Sure, a lot of it comes from your last name, but you wouldn't have as many friends as you have if you weren't a genuinely nice person to be around. My dad's going to love you."

"I want to believe in every word you say, but I know how snide some comments I make can be interpreted as. I'm still able to infuriate Blake with some off-color criticism about how Faunus were being too easily swayed by Roman. And I thought I said that as nice as possible," the heiress griped, the expression on Ruby's face saying different.

"I think you may want to review what exactly was said at a different time. You bring up a point, but Dad won't hate you. I mean, you didn't hate me when our less than spectacular meeting happened."

"Hate was a fairly accurate term at the time." Weiss not liking the brutal honesty as she saw the leader's mood dip when she made a misstep in lifting the heiress' attitude.

"Fair enough, but he doesn't have the capacity to hate anyone. He and Yang have been my family for years. I was hoping to add a couple new members today," Ruby lowly confided, Weiss remembering the Faunus' last words as she spoke.

"Yeah... I guess I'm so used to my family that I assume every one is as dysfunctional as mine."

"We're dysfunctional, just not like yours. I feel all families are. We've had a vacancy that can't be filled for a long while now. It'll be nice to not have us three dining for once," Ruby admitted, Weiss' spirits raising as she was able to put to scale how important she's become in her life. Although Weiss wasn't on the smoothest relations with her parents, she was hoping to come back to the fold, the Xiao Long's providing a temporary sanctuary of secure familial love.

Weiss took over her beauty duties as the shakes left her hands, time spurring them to be on time, tardiness an avoidable transgression. As she was hurriedly pressing her skirt, Ruby latched her by the arm, dragging her to the airfield two minutes too late as they saw the airship in the distance. The ice princess felt the lump in her throat get tighter with each second ticking, anxiousness creeping up on her as she was already making a bad first impression.

* * *

><p>"I need you to let your vice grip down a notch. You're actually hurting me," Ruby complained, the modest, but intimidating restaurant growing a storm cloud over the establishment in Weiss' mind.<p>

Thirty minutes waiting, another fifteen minutes flying, and a cab ride later, the couple were still able to make great time of being, "We're almost a half hour late. I'm sure your dad has better time than to be wasting it on me."

"On us. This probably wouldn't have happened if I hadn't forgotten where I left my cross cufflinks. Also, Dad was late to a lot. It was part of being a single parent. Considering Yang and Blake are keeping him well-distracted, there's no doubt he's been ignoring his watch." Ruby rushed past a gentlemen holding the door for them to the tables. Yang's blonde hair attracts attention more often not than her voluptuous figure, the golden mass protruding from a table.

Weiss' stomach lurched as she saw food was already served, but even more as the man stood up screaming, "Ruby!"

"Dad!" the leader forcing herself out of Weiss' grip and hugged her father. Weiss was left looking in as the two reunited, her heart being put at ease as she noticed the same rosy cheerfulness as they talked. Weiss couldn't help, but notice his youthful appearance aging in some places more than others, the gray hairs and crows feet a sign of stress getting the better of him. She couldn't believe that another professor would give Oobleck a run for his money in terms of dressing unprofessionally. His blazer was ironed, but clear signs of Zwei's hairs were scattered about, and his hair was either style purposely shaggy or his bedhead rivaled Yang's wildness. The rest of him matched in terms of color or style, Weiss' opinion of him only increasing as her expectations were matching his eccentricities.

Lost in his soft voice, she almost missed her queue, "A question that will be answered later, but Dad, this is my girlfriend, Weiss Schnee." Ruby stepped aside for Weiss to make her overly-rehearsed introduction.

"Pleased to meet you finally, Mr Xiao Long." Weiss satisfied that it came out without a stutter with how poorly she's represented herself. That sense of swollen pride deflated as she shook the man's hand, his weak gesture and puzzling expression inflating her anxiety

"Likewise. Schnee, was it?" the patriarch asked.

"Y-yeah," Weiss confused as to what he could be inquired about.

"As in Schnee Dust Company, Schnee," he came again.

Weiss felt pins and needles hit her as she was connecting the dots. "Yes. I'm the daughter of the company's CEO."

The patriarch released her hand, taking a few deep breathes as the information was sinking in. "I didn't think I'd be this nervous when meeting my daughter's partners. Ruby, you never told me that you're dating Vale royalty."

The admission of the man had Weiss' fluid emotions shifting her temper, the heiress burning her stare into the leader's side as she stared her down. "You never told him my last name?"

"It never came up," Ruby trying her best to derail Weiss' ire. "I told him other endlessly flattering things about you, though."

"That part is true. I recall nights where I had to cut her off because she's so enamored with you," he replied, the heiress discerning that's what she was doing on her scroll on such long nights. "Now, please, take a seat. You girls must be hungry."

Nothing could have been further from the truth as the stress had knotted Weiss' stomach, but she wasn't to be rude and be the only one not eating. Before taking a look at the menu, she thought it best to resolve her reason for tardiness. "Sorry to be so late," Weiss taking the blame. "I was taking far too long to calm down. I know you're nervous, Sir, but I assure you the feeling is mutual."

"Glad honesty is partaken around the table. Do order girls. So long as these beverages are complimentary, I will be staying here till they force me out." Weiss tensed up less as she acknowledged how silly it was to worry about meeting Ruby's father. "Now, because I know you are bursting to tell me everything, let me take my acid-reduction medication. Yang gave me a preview and I know my imagination will not need to fill in details with your exaggerated storytelling."

The patriarch proceeded to announce his promotion, Weiss surprised that not only was he ambitious, but now extremely distinguished as he was now the head of Signal Academy. "Oh my goodness, Dad. That's incredible. How did this happen?" Ruby spastically inquired.

"Putting in your time. I loved teaching and the couple years after your mom passed made me appreciate developing a new generation of huntsmen and huntresses even more. After that generous sabbatical, the staff and the higher ups noticed an evident change in my teaching that was ultimately benefiting students. They kept me in that position as long as they could, but then decided I was better suited to administer something larger than a couple classrooms and turned me onto the academy."

Weiss couldn't help, but compare how her father's boardroom speeches were the antithesis of what Mr. Xiao Long represented. His love extended far past his daughters, his devotion to his job and students genuine as he exuded happiness when he was talking about both the wonderful and wretched parts that being headmaster can be. Tensions shifted, the desire of wanting him to like her changing its intent from simply being recognized at Ruby's girlfriend to earning his respect, Taiyang the gold standard of upstanding people.

The heiress stayed polite, letting the sisters get their questions out of the way first. As much as it was a chance to introduce their girlfriends to their father, it was more importantly a day for the girls to hang out with their dad. Weiss was never into older men, but as was finding it hard to resist the charm that Ruby mentioned, the man's dorky wit mirroring his youngest daughter.

"And that poor kid's hammer head flew right off at the demonstration. As a professional I wasn't supposed to laugh, but how can you resist a first year forgetting to tighten his nuts and bolts before day one."

"Seems as if he had his own screws loose," Ruby fired back.

"I love when you girls finish jokes I lay up for you." The man reached out and shuffling the leader's hair. With a lull in the conversation, Weiss' curiosity felt like it waited long enough.

"What is the hardest part of being headmaster so far?"

"It isn't the students, I can tell you that much. Although the mischief you young huntresses get into amazes me with what fresh torment the faculty has to clean up. My peers, at the moment, are giving me the biggest headache. The last headmaster was beloved, and although I have my own accolades to lean on, only about half of the professors see it, which was enough for me to win that electoral process, luckily."

"What's that?" Weiss instinctively wanting to take it back as his merry mindset dipped in his eyes.

"The other half is old enough to remember how I shut down after I lost Summer," he huskily let out, taking another sip from his beverage before continuing. "I can't blame them. The two years I took off are such a dark, depressing blur that I was glad to have Qrow around to help parent these two. Their reasoning is that if a catastrophe happens to Signal, which is rather high in today's tumultuous climate, then I will not be able to rise to the challenge and I leave the academy in its darkest hour."

"Really? Some of those old guys are alive to remember that?" Yang chimed in, annoyed as her father was spiritless.

"I got paid to take a depression leave. It's easy to see why they'd hold a grudge, but I would have hoped to have earned their respect from an incident that happened over a decade ago. They are correct, however, in that I am green to this. A lot of powerful connections were severed when the old headmaster stepped down. I have to rebuild or find suitable replacements soon. Substituting me out is not out of the question."

An epiphany hit Weiss, the brakes slamming in her head as she may have instantly found a way to find her place in the Xiao Long fold. "_I'm a connection. I'm probably one of the twenty most influential people at the company if I really think about it. Mr. Xiao Long need friends in high places, well I can't see why some arrangement with the Schnee Dust Company wouldn't aid him immensely. I've learned to only talk business with the parties involved, Blake and Yang a pseudo-third wheel. I feel bad, but maybe Ruby can help._"

The heiress flipped up her scroll covertly under the table, her efforts pointless as Ruby flipped open hers on the table, immediately hiding it as she read the contents. "_Ruby, I need to speak to your father. Can you ask Yang and Blake to leave?_"

"_I can, but it doesn't mean they won't ask why?_"

"_Say I'm nervous and would like more time as Blake did getting to know him. I'll be the bad guy._"

Weiss didn't like falling on her own sword, but she may not get an opportunity to meet him again with how busy his schedule was becoming. The heiress was relieved to see Yang and Blake depart, but her mental presentation of how to display her and the Schnee Dust Company's prowess was falling apart, Weiss hating that all of the lessons she had to endure from her father were useless when she came under pressure.

The patriarch sat back down, a combination of happiness and sadness welling within him as he watched his oldest daughter depart. "They say you're never ready for kids. That couldn't be more true seeing how it feels like yesterday I was cleaning up a mess in the kitchen from you two trying to copy your mother's cookie recipe."

"They turned out semi-decent after I slathered them with frosting. You could barely taste charcoal," the three sharing a laugh at Ruby's childhood antics.

Weiss didn't know how to bring up the conversation, deciding a hard cough a good enough segue to get Taiyang's attention. "Well, Mr. Xiao Long, you said you needed some assistance in gaining favor with your colleagues. I believe I can offer you a solution."

"OK," the man monotonously stated, an odd silence happening as Weiss waited for a follow-up to her offer, but decided to go ahead without sanctioned applause.

"As a member of The Schnee Dust Company board I can put forth and authorize a deal that can benefit both of us. I'm sure you've heard that my company has been a part of many conflicts with The White Fang, only the successfully heists being broadcast making our company look weak to this racial organization. You are part of a very prestigious academy, one of the best in Remnant I might add, and..."

"You don't need to keep doing the hard sell, Weiss. I already said OK."

Cut off from her rehearsed speech, she flabbergastedly let out a "What?"

"I need help. I know that you're eighteen and my daughter's girlfriend, but I'm not in a position to pick-and-choose contacts that will back me and the academy. If you think you can deliver on what you promise, I am on board." The desperation marked by the sincerity in his smile as Ruby's father agreed to terms she hadn't predicted. She didn't take him to be a fool, but wasn't about to not pursue her first contact in her budding network.

"Well, what I had planned to do was request students as security for the company. We have a lot of positions that can be made for students to practice their abilities as security, investigative skills, and protection, naturally. Although Team RWBY doesn't get grades or credit for what we do, your students could. In exchange, we'll offer as much dust as you need for the academy for sparring purposes. There's no way my father won't accredit it. We're in dire straits by the media drilling us for our failures. Huntsmen, no matter how new to the profession, will look good on the company and the academy if all goes well."

"I didn't like that '_if_' part. There's a lot of '_ifs_' in what we do. A lot of '_ifs_' I wish didn't come true." Weiss already kicking herself as she may have unraveled a sure thing with uncertainty.

"Dad, you can't be thinking like that," Ruby joined in. "Your students know what they've gotten into the second they picked up a weapon and started practicing. They wouldn't have bothered going through Signal's entrance exams if they didn't believe being a huntsman was right for them. Grimm are important to slay, but there's a lot of bad people out there that I wish I was more aware of when I first started. It couldn't hurt for others to get more first-hand experience before they graduate."

The patriarch sat quietly across from them, Weiss noticing the same face Ruby makes when she's making the decision against her gut instinct. His eyes grew big with worry, pupils racing around the solution as he was solving the imaginary problem floating in front of him. A warm smile followed the defeated sigh, "You're still too young to be giving me life lessons, Ruby, but I suppose you're right. Good huntsmen won't be trained if I keep them in a bubble at Signal."

Weiss had to stop herself from letting out an explosive cheer, keeping herself composed as she politely kept her hands in her lap. "Excellent. I'll have someone contact you tomorrow then, if that's alright."

"Actually, tell them to free up their schedules for a banquet this Saturday. If you can bring a lot of important people, or at least people that sound important, it will impress my staff," the patriarch offered, Weiss and Ruby happily agreeing as the network was flourishing. "Will all business endeavors be this easy or am I just a sucker?" the patriarch laughed out, the rosy redness of a man inebriated no longer hiding.

"You may want advisers in the future," Weiss joked back.

The ice princess felt the pressure dissolve as the three were catching up from a year past. Ruby refused to leave out any detail, the heiress wishing her recall was this impressive when they were studying as she did with recounting their first mission together. She could tell Ruby's father was noticeably uncomfortable at the intricately grotesque detail of battling Grimm and close encounters with The White Fang, but the praise genuine when he'd commend the girls. A father's approval was so foreign to her that Weiss flinched the first couple times it happened, the heiress' thirst quenched after the long streak of berating and nagging she's received.

The carefree attitude shared around the table warmed up Weiss, the heiress not minding being alone with him as Ruby scampered off to the bathroom. "Coffee? What other things did you introduce my daughter to since she's been away?"

"It's a mutual trade-off of ideas. I show her coffee. She shows me how there is no such thing as too sweet a cookie. I show her dust techniques, she shows me just how accurate Crescent Rose can be at three-hundred meters. I show her how to be a better time manager, she shows me how to relax. It's been an educational experience, if I do say-so myself," Weiss put out hoping for a laugh.

"I'm assuming you left out deflowering her on purpose," the snide comment forcing the heiress to spit take as she nearly choked on her cider. The blood in her face left her, the lewd mention of taking Ruby's virginity catching her off-guard. The paralyzing panic she thought she grew out of flooded back, unable to look the man in the eyes as her brain churned out a response.

"I-I umm... I did-didn't think th-that would..." Weiss' stammering was interrupted as the patriarch was holding in a stitch, howling with laughter that drew a lot of unwanted attention to the table.

"I-I swore..." the man catching his breath in between his laughter spasms. "I swore to Yang I wouldn't mess with you, but you-you should have seen how white you got," the man belting out another round of giggles. "I thought you might go transparent with how ghastly you became."

Weiss was overwhelmed with relief that it was a jab at her, but it wasn't enough to push that feeling of wrongdoing in what she did was sinful. Nervous titters barely audible were the only thing she could produce as she was coming down from the embarrassment. "Ye-yeah. You sure got me."

"I didn't mean to shock you too hard. I'm not naïve, and if it hadn't happened yet, that would say a lot more about you," Ruby's father explained. "I remember some of the trash I'd see Yang spend time with and, as a father. I wanted to throttle the one that took her innocence. I was nervous Ruby would follow a similar path, them two very close, but inverse in choosing partners it seems. Yang's gotten better, Blake a collected, impressive young Faunus. Ruby, however, seemed to hit it right on the mark." Weiss able to direct her attention back towards the patriarch as he continued. "You're a very intelligent, ambitious woman. I'm glad to see someone like you with my Ruby. She's clearly in good company."

In that moment, just for a flash, she was happy enough to die.

*-Ruby-*

She didn't want the hug to end, squeezing as much of her father out of him as they were going their separate ways. "It's been really fun today, Dad."

"Same here, my little Ruby," her father placing a kiss on her forehead as he released his daughter. "Luckily, our next meal won't be a year from now. I'll be sure to see you girls this weekend."

Taiyang reached over to her girlfriend, giving Weiss a double handed shake. "And a pleasure finally meeting you, Weiss. I'm too irresponsible a father to have put this off with you girls."

"Thank you, Mr. Xiao Long, for making me feel welcomed. You surpassed the highest expectations Ruby had set for you," Weiss relayed the kudos back to her partner.

"You're just saying that because I send Zwei for a visit every so often. You can't have him without Ruby," he quipped back, the man walking to his car, the leader already missing the time spent together as she watched the vehicle disappear in the distance.

"See, you survived," Ruby nudging an elbow into her girlfriend. "My dad's pretty cool, isn't he?"

"You're dad is indeed pretty cool. I saw a lot of your charm in him although it is far more refined than your happy accidents that come off as charming." Ruby let the heiress have her jest as she had been sporting a smile the rest of the brunch. "I know we were invited to the banquet this Saturday, but I'm sure your sister wouldn't mind an extended invitation to see your dad again."

"Good idea." Ruby flipped out her scroll to coincidentally get a message from Blake.

"_Ruby. I could really use a favor._"

The leader was always happy to aid her team, chipperly wrote back. "_Sure, Blake. What do you need?_"

"_Could you and Weiss possibly stay out of the room till dinner?_"

"_Umm... alright. Why's that?_" As soon as she sent her query, she knew exactly what was trying to be conveyed, Ruby's thumbs rapidly beating on her keyboard to make sure Blake's text wouldn't explicitly state it. "_WAIT! Don't answer. I get it._" "_Just... make sure to not make it obvious. I'm going to use this as an opportunity to be spontaneous and romantic in wanting to spend more time with Weiss._"

"_Not a problem, Ruby. Thanks again._" Ruby sighed deeply as she dodged a bullet.

"Did Yang say something?" the heiress wondering why there was such a deep sigh after a few texts, Ruby now scrambling for her diversion to keep Weiss in the dark.

"I... umm she said she'd rather use that day to spend with Blake if we're to be out of the room," the leader ran into her mental brick wall as she could barely concoct a half-lie.

"That figures. Banquets I'm very familiar with. She wouldn't be seeing much of your dad if he's a master of ceremonies. She may have made a the smarter move than us, but we're bound by commitment. This commitment being rather serious as many of the company's friends and representatives will be present. There's a certain etiquette that needs to be adhered to. Something you may not be familiar with. Let's head back and examine some of your dresses and see if they're appropriate." Weiss lead two strides in front of her as her mind was set for the dorm room. Ruby couldn't let her go back, not doubting that Blake and Yang's clothes were strewn about the floor already. Figuring Weiss' mind had laser focus on preparing for the banquet, the leader dived on an idea that she's been wanting to share with her for awhile.

"Weiss, there's actually a ritual that my mother used to do for these kinds of things. Dad's been doing it alone when he has to, but it'd be nice if we take over the dessert cart."

"Dessert cart?"

"My mom made legendary cookies. Of course that type of baking skill applies to other desserts. As stressful as life as a huntress was at times, she liked flicking on the oven, and having Yang and I come help her. She said there was something inherently sweet when she baked for us, so she did it as much as she could. Even if it was just me licking the spatula clean, it was still marvelous to see her confections." Ruby remembered a birthday cake when she was four. Black is the worst tasting icing, but her mom was able to expertly create a Beowolf dead on the ground with her favorite hero's foot a top its head. "Mom could have easily dropped being a huntress and open a bakery if she wanted, her natural finesse turned simple baking into an art so she was the one in charge of desserts if the occasion called for it. I'm not ready, but with some practice, maybe we can help my dad figure out dessert."

"As great an idea as that sounds, where do you think we have access to an oven?" Weiss asked, Ruby hitting her first roadblock, but a lot can be solved at the snap of a Schnee's fingers. The leader put on her best sad puppy face, eyes bereft of guilt as she knew Weiss was weening herself from her immense wealth for many worthy reasons. Weiss caught onto what her girlfriend was inclining to, swallowing her ego and called a chauffeur, the first stop a grocery store.

The couple went up and down the aisles, the cart nearly overflowing as Ruby was scrawling through the recipes she had on her scroll. Not knowing what Weiss could have at her home, she was dumping the essentials and specifics into her cart. As much as Ruby was into eying the ingredients and throwing them into a bowl, Weiss was not about to send her people to the store if they messed up, the leader only agreeing because she never mastered her mother's recipes.

All of the ingredients were meticulously lined up for each of the dishes, Weiss inspecting each of their tools for their cleanliness, Ruby stealthily searching for a special garment that she knew Schnee chefs wore. A creaking pantry door revealed the white accessory, the leader fastening it to the pin of her cowl before sneaking up to her girlfriend. Ruby grabbed at the apple pie filling ingredients, dumping them in a large white bowl knowing it would get Weiss' attention. The white hair whipped around with a proper scowl that only grew larger as Ruby wore proudly a chef's toque.

"You look ridiculous. Take that off."

"How often will I be able to wear this? Now can you please dice those apple for me as I start adding the million other things to this base." Ruby's mother never had as deluxe a food mixer as the Schnee's did, the ingredients a goopy mixture in under a minute. The leader did the ceremonial dip of her finger to make sure the filling was as tasty as it was smooth. A compulsory moan escaped as the sugariness rippled through her taste buds, the taste as good as she could get.

As she was going to reach into the mixture for a second dip, her hand was yanked away, the heiress sporting a disgusted look. "Were you seriously about to taint the mixture with your germs?"

A guilty chuckle let out as the leader was caught red handed, the old habits of youth weren't broken as it seemed. Ruby used her other clean hand to whip a dollop for her girlfriend, putting forth a finger for her to sample. She rolled her eyes and consumed the morsel, the peeved expression shifting as the heiress experienced the sweet euphoria. "Pretty good, am I right?"

"This is more than pretty good. This is exquisite."

"Thanks" Ruby didn't like using premade crusts, but she knew the most important part of pie what was was on the inside. "Pie is for those who show up early. We won't have too much time to bake too many of these."

"Then most of the Schnee Dust Company will get their fill of it. Father doesn't tolerate tardiness. I apologize if the banquet is a flat liner." Weiss placed the pie into the oven.

"Why's that?"

"Now that this is a business banquet, the relaxed ease of people simply pitching their name will now be hustling their wares. Whoever is their boss will want a report on Monday about who they recruit and what they possibly sold. The rigidity of the formality of these events are tearing at times. We're a prize couple as we are the marriage of The Schnee Dust Company and Signal Academy. We may not have to sell, but moderating with a fake smile, respect, and attitude is exhausting," Weiss loathed on about.

Ruby fumbled the vanilla extract and baking soda for her mom's special sugar cookies, the words weighing on her conscious until it broke. "_This all of sudden got heavy,_" she thought to herself as she was adding the ingredients to the bowl. "_If Weiss says this is different then maybe I ought to not go. I'm terrible in social situations. I'm still some bumbling little girl when an adult talks to me so formally and what good am I in terms of talking either business or Signal. I'm so clueless if it doesn't pertain to huntressing and the history of The Achieve Men. I'm going to ruin this if I open my mouth and probably if I don't say anything. I can't have Weiss hate me when I'm responsible for her business connections falling through. I need an out._"

She flipped the switch to the power mixer, the steel whisks slowly making easy work of the cookie dough being made. As it was mixing, she busied herself making ganeche spread for the filling, the smell of pure sugar catching her senses, Ruby clicking in her mind how to salvage the banquet. Her mother's biggest pet peeve couldn't be broken out of by some scolding. Only the horrific pain of her actions were able to get Ruby to stop the worst habit of someone who samples the raw ingredients too much. She peered over to Weiss, the woman begrudgingly, but enthusiastic about her personal prospects. Ruby peered into the bowl, her stomach curling as she knew what she needed to do.

* * *

><p>The intoxicating smell of the apple pies wafted around the kitchen, Ruby mentally counting herself to a minute before having Weiss take them out. She went over with her girlfriend how to properly prepare strawberry and custard cheesecake, Weiss going over it like an exam as Ruby said she wanted her to attempt it herself. It was a ruse to make sure Ruby had her partner's attention elsewhere. The leader wanted the chocolate chip cookie sandwich preparation all to herself, the next few hours a sweet irony of gratification and agony.<p>

The heavy dough was balled up in her hand, the leader picking away at it each time she'd flip it with a rolling pin. The first few bites were delicious, the morsels almost as good as her memory, but the gluttonous nature of consuming as much raw dough as needed was exhausting. At times, she would glance over to Weiss, the concentration on her duties divided as she was running over names of people and companies they belong to. The items flashing on her scroll's screen dizzying as Ruby's stomach was naturally knotting.

As sick as she was now numbing to the taste, she was going to continue. Ruby wasn't prepared for this type of gathering, the easy way out of getting sick easier. _"I wish I was a better liar or listened to the times Yang tried to teach me more advanced makeup tips. I'm getting sick before actually getting sick with all this unprocessed flour in me. Too late to go back now, lest I be making a queasy face and rub my stomach the entire evening._"

After cutting and placing cookies on a dozen trays into the ovens, Ruby stumbled her way to the bathroom, forcing herself to keep a dough ball in the pit of her stomach. The harrowing groans emitting from her frightening as it echoed in the tiled room. "I may have overdone it," she grumbled out.

A few rapid knocks at the door startled her more. "Ruby, you don't sound alright. Are you OK?"

"Not... not really." Ruby's hindsight thought she would've had to act as weak a voice as she was genuinely producing. "I think I may have caught something from Sun."

A particularly irritated grunt came from beyond the threshold. "I told Sun to keep himself far away from the team. He refuses to listen when I tell him that illness spreads easy in cramped quarters. And you stay away from the finished products without a mask. The heat should have effectively killed any bacteria. Come out and take some medicine. We'll see if we can manage the symptoms enough for you to come along."

Ruby should've expected the heiress to make the next logical step, the leader struggling to get back on her feet as she wanted to hug the toilet for the rest of the night. Weiss forced a glass of water and a couple of pills in her hand, the liquid hardening the dough making the ball feel heavier. What she thought was a hiccup, was her stomach nearly rejecting the new contents. "Oh my goodness, you are not puking on me. We're laying you down."

The ice princess gingerly directed her out of the blazing kitchen to a lounger in the living room. Ruby curled tighter than the ball inside her, the women concentrating on her breathing to keep her contents down. "Weiss..." she whimpered.

"I'm here and so is the trash can," her partner placing the black metal receptacle at her side. "I have no time for proper care. I know this sounds ridiculous, but call me. I've got twelve dozen trays of cookies to slather with paste and glaze. I hope you're feeling better by the time I'm done."

The rattle in her voice left Ruby with a worse feeling than the sharp pain in her stomach. "_I'm doing her a favor. What I'm doing is the best course of action. What I'm doing is also incredibly painful, but Weiss doesn't need me to be around for my mouth to muck up business talk, right?_"

The seed of doubt had been planted, Ruby's pain denaturing to the harder hitting emotion of shame as the dough was passing through her. The leader was never one to leave anyone hanging, but she knew when her being part of the equation was more detrimental than beneficial. She could remember the times her being underfoot as a sister got Yang furious or when flashing her attacks in combat cost a few extra hits to bombard the team. Even if she was aware of her hypocrisy, she kept her ground, embracing the denial out of fear.

As she heard footsteps against the marble, Ruby faked tortuous whining to fool her girlfriend to finally leaving. "You feeling any better?"

An eye peeped open, the leader blown away at the cleaned up heiress. The fatigued look of several hours in the kitchen were washed over as Weiss stood radiant in a silver strapless gown, the slim line with lace-up closure complimenting her slender body. The heiress was as proper as ever, hair slicked back to her high ponytail, light pink blush highlighting her fair complexion, earrings being hastily accessorized finalizing her professional elegance. Ruby more impressed than usual by her beauty.

"Not... not really. It still hurts," Ruby almost forgetting to feign as she bowled over holding her stomach in.

"I doubt that. This will, though." The sharp flick on her nose was as promised.

"Ow. What did you do that for?" Ruby's eyes constricted as her act was broken. "I mean... oh my stomach."

"I will flick you again if you keep lying to me." Weiss' tone filled with heat as she threatened the finger in her face. The heiress' hand was on her hip, Ruby knowing there was a tongue lashing at the ready as her girlfriend had effectively cornered her.

"How did you find out?"

"The cookies came up short. Way short. After I took a look at the approximate amount that could be made, and saw that there was about a third less, I figured that someone had eaten more than a fair share of raw dough." Weiss had great deductive skills, but she didn't need to be an expert to put it together, Ruby forgetting that the minuscule amounts as a kid wouldn't have sufficed to ail her now. In a less accusatory tone, Weiss asked, "Why did you do this?"

With no excuse to hide behind, Ruby owned up to her guilt. "I was trying to help you. I'm no good at social situations so I thought if I wasn't there, you wouldn't have the added trouble of me to pile onto an already stressful evening."

It felt good to relieve some of the remorse, but the leader bound her eyes to the floor, not able to look the ice princess in the face with how immature she'd gone about the subject. "Believe me, Ruby, if I thought that you'd mess this up for me, I wouldn't hesitate hurting your feelings and tell you to sit this one out." Ruby shrugged to herself that she forgot that icy nature wasn't abated completely. "What really upsets me is that I thought you wanted to help me when it came to business aspects of my life?"

"But I thought I was? I mean... this all seems high-stakes and I'm still learning," Ruby pleaded in her case.

"That may be true, but that doesn't mean I don't want you there by my side," Weiss fired back, the leader feeling smaller as the heiress fumed. "Yes, I've been to similar events, but it doesn't mean I don't have some jitters as this is my first affair I'm responsible for. Now, I can't thank you enough for letting me help with dessert. It was very welcoming to get my head out of the business world and do something so refreshing. What I can't get around my head is that the same woman who can stare a Beowolf in the mouth is chickening out because adults will be expecting formality out of her. Just as you didn't think I'd mess up meeting your father, I believed that you could only enrich my endeavor."

That sinking feeling crushed her conscious, the dough ball feeling like a paper cut in comparison to how the heiress' words were beating on her. "I'm so..."

"Save it. I'm running on the wire and I don't have time for this," Weiss said, her heels hastily pacing out of her field of vision. "I expect an apology when I come back and it better be a good one."

The ice princess wrangled the servants to help her with the dishes, the loft quiet as the front door's deadlock was put into place. Ruby buried her hands in her face, beating her head against the lush throw pillows surrounding her. "Why. Am. I. Such. A. Spaz?" the leader stopping as her brain being jostled around was making her light-headed. "I forget how much faith she has in me at times. I guess we're both prone to a lack of confidence, only differing in certain areas. I made a bad judgment call this time, but that doesn't mean I have to accept the fallout. I can make this right, but I better move quick."

Ruby left rose pedals in her wake as she dived into the shower, running the water through every nook and cranny to get the smell of baked goods off of her. The leader's body was still moist with residual shower water as she was rolling the towel over her body, wringing out her short locks as best as she could as she monkeyed the hair dryer to keep it hovering above her head. Her one-shoulder dark scarlet dress' fabric didn't stretch, making her dampened body to squeeze down to the ruched bodice waistline. She was fortunate Weiss let her have a breathing A-line skirt bottom, her thighs drying as she rolled up her dark stockings. The leader didn't like to, but broke into her girlfriend's makeup cabinet and applied the limited knowledge Yang taught her, smoking her eyes with light shadow and mascara had her gray eyes pop. She wrestled to get her oppressive heels on and headed out the door.

Flash stepping in small increments, Ruby made to Signal, ducking in a dark alley to make sure the wind didn't mismanage her hair or dress. She observed from a distance, sweat forming as she watched limos drop of men in tuxedos and women dressed to kill with how gorgeous they were. Ruby was outclassed, but she would find her ice princess with haste.

She took her first step, finding the irony that she almost tripped in her heels on uneven concrete. She readjusted her bust and proceeded to the academy ballroom. Up the most challenging flight of stairs she'd ever have to climb, she wasn't at one of Beacon's proms. The lighting was a soft white hue, the colors present were Signals decorating the room. The room for a dance floor was occupied as round, clothed tables were evenly spread around the area, most of them seating a few of their attendees as many of the guests were mingling. Smiles abound reassuring Weiss and her dad were doing something right.

An elbow stuck her the shoulder, a taller man that wore a Schnee Dust Company pin quick to turn around. "I'm sorry, missus. I didn't mean to..."

"It-it's fine," Ruby unintentionally being rude as she cut off his apology. The woman stumbled away from one embarrassment to another as the back of her head knocked into a waiter serving hors-d'oeuvres. "So-sorry."

The server left annoyed as he went to reorganize his tray, the leader taking that time to leave to save her from her awkwardness. She hated that the sea of tall people was hiding her white princess, Ruby more envious than ever of Yang's height as she was pressing herself higher in the heels to catch a glimpse of her girlfriend. In the frantic search, the white profile of her partner came into view, Weiss busy socializing with people wearing Signal insignias, the leader pressing her skirt before making her approach.

She stepped into the heiress' peripheral vision, Weiss double taking as Ruby introduced herself to the group, "He-hello. Sorry I'm so late, Weiss. The original plan sorta... fell through, so I came."

The heiress' already broad smile widened, eyes elated and breathing tempering as she was stunned at the leader's appearance. The leader didn't hear the awkward silence as she was waiting for her girlfriend's reply, but a man in the mix had his own curiosity. "Miss Schnee, whom is this lovely, young lass?"

"Umm... this is Ruby Rose, my girlfriend," Weiss proudly declared, then motioned her to introduce herself to the rest of the group.

"Ye-yeah." Ruby extended her hand to the other individuals. "I'm the daughter's headmaster, I mean, the master's head daughter. Wait, scratch that. I'm Taiyang Xiao Long's daughter," the leader expecting the laughter, but the respectful snickering didn't feel malicious. It was still mortifying, but Weiss grasped the back of her hand, a nod to the head and a wink was enough to keep the leader in check through the night.

Ruby was instilled with a special confidence from Weiss, but it still didn't make the conversing with all these new strangers any easier. When the appetizer plate would come by, she had to resist shoveling the load into her arms. It wasn't out of hunger, but the food kept her mouth busy to give the illusion of conversation as she couldn't respond with gubs in her mouth. She remembered the age old wisdom from her sister and grabbed a stem of champagne, the leader spasming and made a scene as she took a first sip, the bubbly liquid still too strong for her unrefined pallet. She slyly handed it off to Weiss as she couldn't bare to finish. Although she was having a miserable time, getting laughed at and bringing about awkward silences with attempts at levity, Weiss was shining.

The heiress knew what she was doing, Ruby constantly impressed as they traveled from circle to circle and Weiss fitting into the groove of conversation. The leader could tell when her partner would tense up or find distaste with someone in the group, her grip tightening, voice heightening laced with clandestined cynicism and a forced smile apparently only visible to her as the recipient was none the wiser when Weiss was pulling the strings striking deals. With her scroll filling with contacts and her handbag lined with cards, the heiress was having tremendous success, Ruby blessed that she was able to witness Weiss trample networking as she trashes Grimm.

Regrettably, the leader's limit of painful parley had peaked and Ruby excused herself to the restroom. It was a little white lie to Weiss, but Ruby was desperate to get a bit of fresh air. She snagged a chocolate chip cookie sandwich off a platter before exiting the massive glass doors to a balcony, the leader impressed how well the heiress was able to finish off her mom's recipe, the taste calming as she stood against the steel railing, taking in a deep breath and enjoying the silence.

"Hey," a soft voice came from behind, Ruby quickly brushing her mouth of crumbs and vanilla frosting as she saw her girlfriend leaning at the threshold before the door.

"Hey Weiss. How did you know I was here?"

"You use that bathroom excuse a lot. I checked there in case I was wrong. Since you weren't, and there was no punch bowl where you and your socially awkward peers can hide, I logically came to finding someplace secluded. Your dress is an easy target which, by the way, you look beautiful in." Weiss' theory proved correct as she stepped forward, Ruby touched that the heiress knew her mannerisms so well that she was able to find her. Even though the leader was looking to be alone, she'd make an exception. "You were doing well in there. Why leave so soon?"

"I was getting a breather. My social lameness can only take so much puppeteering and ridicule, but you say I did well?" Ruby scratched her head, more confused as it came out of her mouth.

"You did fantastic," the ice princess giving a victory kiss on the cheek as she approached the railing. "Yes, some were annoyed, but the people who were fascinated by you thought you were a student of Signal and wanted more students like you working with them. They'll be disappointed when not everyone is as spastic as you, but you didn't fall from the tree. Your dad should be sealing any deals thanks to you."

Ruby was speechless as praise was the last thing she expected from her performance. "But I was being an immature dunce. I almost did a spit take after someone said 'duty' in a funny way."

"It was a hit or miss, but comedy isn't easy. Either way, it's a breath of fresh air as sometimes these events can get stale. We need characters like you to keep the party going. A lot of the guests are still here after three hours. It's because you loosened them up with some raw humor and they're having a great time." Weiss continued her onslaught of acclaim, Ruby feeling her face get hot as her girlfriend was overwhelming her. "Thanks for showing up. I sat in the limo stewing, preparing a punishment like you've never seen, but you're not one to disappoint. I should have known better."

"Don't give me too much credit. I was mostly looking out for myself. You know I'm not big on social events, but I'm glad I came too. It was nice to get out of my comfort zone to see you top the competition," Ruby spoke. The ice princess laced their arms, Weiss huddling into her body, the two cherishing the reticence as they surveyed the night sky, the broken moon fragments illuminating the campus as the stars danced around.

"I realize now why I was partially upset with you earlier," the heiress spoke lowly. "As much as I do love hearing about what you do without me, I also like it when we get to share stories with our friends. It's a more treasured memory when you're a part of them." Ruby peered down, the blue orbs sincere in their admiration. "I love you, Ruby. Please don't forget that when I'm being me."

"I love you too, Weiss. Don't forget that when I'm being me either," the leader joked back, Ruby nuzzling her nose to Weiss', wresting a playful giggle from the ice princess. The two returned to the scenery, the banquet ostensibly miles away. The couple's hands didn't keep to themselves, the heiress' fingers running along the hemline of Ruby's dress. The leader played with the zipper on the back of Weiss' gown, the ice princess slapping her hand away before it gave way, Ruby then doubling back to the front to poke at her partner's cleavage, the petite chasm still fun to run her finger down as the two flirted. With alcohol absorbed in her blood, the leader had a request too bold for her sober.

"Weiss, you say you like creating memories. I have one that we could do."

"I have the same rule as Blake about public play. Sorry to dash your dreams so quick," the ice princess assuming the worst.

"I'm not Yang. I'm too shy for that either, but I always wanted to kiss someone in the clock tower," Ruby pointed in the distance, the pale white light luminescent among the darken buildings as the lantern of the academy. "Think we can stray away and make out a bit?"

A goofy grin couldn't be held back as Ruby crossed her fingers for Weiss to say yes. The heiress rolled her eyes, "Fine. Let's go. Talk about getting out of my comfort zone."

Ruby seized her by the hand, holding back her laughter as the two were stealthily making their inconspicuous walk up a flight of stairs out of the party's earshot. Soon, their elated voices and heels to hard wood echoed in the hallway, Ruby's cognitive map clicking as she was back at Signal again, dad's room having a storage closet next to it making a very convenient cove to canoodle. At the turn of a corner, the added limpness bodies on the floor shattered the racy moment, Ruby releasing her girlfriend's hand and placing it on the guard's neck. Her heartbeat kickstarted at the massive relief in feeling a pulse. "He's breathing. Check the others."

"Right," the heiress taking the orders adeptly and went to the other fallen. "Bruises and cuts aside, these guys are fine too."

"What happened here?"

"White... Fang," the man at Ruby's feet tepidly breathed out. The leader rolled him over, propped him to the wall as she probed him. "It was not a lot. Twenty at most. Two were clearly leading. A taller man with smokey hair... and a pink-and-brown girl with an umbrella." Ruby's darker premonitions were coming into play as the man pointed to a door down the hall from her dad's classroom. "They knocked us out, then raided that.

Ruby directed Weiss to the end of the hall, the dust lab picked clean. The leader remembers the days she would sneak away to see the research going on behind those doors, her dad or Qrow whisking her away before she could peer to much around the locked door. The research and development poached and the lab in disarray as the women inspected the scene. "I'll go grab my dad. He needs to see this."

"Don't. You let the others see him with a weak face and a lot of what we set up today will be unraveled. We'll wait till after, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be figuring out what was stolen." Weiss took out her scroll and plugged it into the monitors, the data unloading from the jail-broken device. "This all doesn't look good."

"No... not at all." Ruby saw the schematics of the weapon prototypes stolen, none of it leading to non-lethal tactics of a new leaf White Fang. "We better get started taking inventory."

Ruby went around the lab, Weiss behind her with her scroll and marking the many items, mostly unrefined dust weaponry and ammo, gone. The leader kept close to the heiress, the two holding hands as Ruby was using a flashlight to guide them in the flickering florescent bulbs of the devastated lab. "_Not exactly the memory I was hoping to make, but I can't argue that when we've saved the day is some of the best memories I've had with her. At least she's keeping me from running blindly in the night searching for them. Maybe, one day, this will be one too. It's too early to tell if there's a silver lining to this yet._"


	35. Blake: Seeing Double

This will be short cause I have to jet. I may have to find an excuse to party as I celebrate crossing 900 followers. Never did I think 1k followers would even be within reach, but we'll actually get there sooner than we think. My artist, Bakki, is hurt, but said he'll work on a Bumblebee pic while he's recovering. Don't expect it soon. Also check out my one-shot Hanukkah collection, The Light That Shadows in The Night. This will be the last updates before the holidays and new year, so Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you for the supports and see you next year.

Blake: Seeing Double

The first winter storm came and went, the bare trees having lost their leaves weeks ago as they were lightly coated with powder. A warm beginning of the season had most of the seasonal sleet a puddled mess as the crunch beneath Blake's boots was a splash as she walked around Beacon. The storm had kept her in the room for a few days, the Faunus wanting to stretch her legs and breathe the fresh chilly air. As much as she enjoyed the solidarity, she was surprised that her girlfriend had declined the invitation for a casual walk around the buildings, Yang having a massive change in heart about literature recently.

Since meeting Yang's dad, the blonde had become more of a bibliophile and the Faunus found herself in a predicament she never thought possible, her partner outpacing her in reading. Blake was scared as a mixture of textbooks and her own collection of leisure novels were strewn across the bed, the Faunus astounded that Yang was using her free time from studying to bury her face in another book. As much as she wanted to voice her opinion in the sudden change, the sole sound of pages being flipped as the two sat next to each other reading was a dream the Faunus thought she desired. Over a year of being with Yang, she missed the usual attention grabbing behavior, her exuberance that would get her out of her escapist entertainment and into the real world, and especially the sex drive that would have her poking the Faunus' buttons enough to sneak a loving rendezvous later. It was absent, Blake only wondering what Yang could be cooking up with this much delving into her collection for groundwork for a date.

Blake furiously rubbed her exposed arm, her aura seemingly falling below par in terms of keeping her heat in, the Faunus so used to Yang's body heat safeguarding her warmth that she was shamed that she was getting that lax in her training. She stamped her boots into the carpet before entering her room, wondering if it was this common for Yang to find her on the bed with a book in her face. The blonde was unaware that there was another presence in the room until Blake slammed her body against the bed, her partner peeking past the cover to pass off her girlfriend as a nuisance. "Hey Yang."

"Hey Blake." The casual brushoff got Blake dangerously close to her breaking point, the urge to rip the book and drill into Yang about her current withdrawnness she forced to quell inside her. How hypocritical she would be to deny the quiet serenity of getting lost in a story if she were to be so obtuse. She didn't want to, but she was going to play the same hand Yang does when the tables needed turning.

Blake crawled atop her lover, head arching under the book, cat ears bending under the bow as she made the tight squeeze until she met her girlfriend's gaze. The lilac eyes were not to be deterred. Before the Faunus could try her efforts into luring the blonde away with a tempting kiss, Yang whipped her hand around Blake's head, unlaced the bow, and gave a few deep scratches to her ears. The focalized touch of the nimble fingers fanned out to the rest of her body, the stunning caress flowing to the rest of her, the Faunus unable to suppress the giggles in her throat as she was fondled. "Down, Blake. I'm reading."

"Yang, you're not playing..."

"Shush. I got to get through this," The blonde flipped a page, not letting the Faunus out of her trance as she maneuvered her fingers atop her head. Blake's hands dug deep to the sides of Yang's jacket, face buried upon the bountiful chest as she was trying to fight the joy coursing through her. A pang of self-disgust dissolved as the blonde continued, the Faunus giving into the simple pleasures of her race and cuddled into the loving embrace. She told herself that this is technically what she wanted, the denial never tasting sweeter as she closed her eyes and let her mind meander in the moment.

"_She's in so much trouble after this. Ohh, that hit a perfect spot. Maybe not after all. I hope I'm not making too audible sighs into her. She knows I don't like it when she uses the cat ear trick against me, but it's nigh-impossible to be mad at her when this feels so good. At least we're together for the moment. I'll talk to her..._"

"The feeling is so intense it envelops me, spiraling out from deep within my belly, to each limb as I could feel the imminent orgasm encroaching. My body was ready for the final release, now awaiting for my lover to deliver what she promised," Yang spoke with no prompt, Blake only catching the end of what was being said as she heard some very familiar words from novels in the secret suitcase.

The Faunus lifted her head, blocking Yang's view of the text as she narrowed her stare. "What did you say? What are you reading?"

"You know. The usual research," the blonde's brazen grin showing her whites as she caught Blake's attention. "You know what's coming up. I want to make sure it's special."

The Faunus scanned her brain for any possible special dates. Her birthday was past, the anniversary was over, Yang's birthday was months from now, and there were no holidays in particular that would spur her partner to invest so much time in her books. "I'm still lost. What's this all about? And put this away. I'm not fond that Ruby and Weiss are aware of such material in my trunk."

"Are you serious? This gets to my surprise still then." Yang gave a kiss between her girlfriend's ears. The blonde bounced her off her body and landed on her feet, placing the treasured first edition of 'Ninjas of Love' meticulously back in its place.

"I'm not sure whether to be worried now. Your dates are wonderful, but at least I'm familiar with why it's happening other than the 'why not' excuse," Blake said, her girlfriend wrapping her in her arms as they sunk back into the sheets.

"You'll know when it happens. I have been waiting for this day for a long while. I aim to make it as memorable as the first time." Yang's breath heated the side of her face as the Faunus was being reeling in by the blonde's lustful hook. She placed her lips against her partner's, the sweet taste of Ruby's stashed chocolate chips cookies hinted in her kiss as Blake reaping what she sought. Yang indulged her, keeping the Faunus' hands at bay, a tactic she usually employs when the room wasn't under their discretion.

Blake whimpered as Yang broke away, smiling as the drip of saliva that connected them wiped away as she made her way to the door. "Keep yours, and mine while we're at at it, shirts on. You're just going to have to wait for this weekend," the blonde's mane and skirt swaying as she closed the door, Blake peeking her head out as she watched the confident march of a women with a devious mission.

"_What's so special about this weekend?_" the Faunus thought, both worried and excited for what Yang had in store.

The curiosity of her girlfriend's suspiciousness was tested as Yang would pop in-and-out of mundane activities reciting lines from her texts that were all peculiarly tantalizing in nature. The Faunus took to writing them down, hopefully able to find some code hidden between the words, but it all came up gibberish, unless her partner had taken an even greater step of keeping her in the dark by creating her own code of cryptics. Blake, not to be bested, kept tabs on her girlfriend's movements, the Faunus driven to madness when the most skeptical thing she witnessed had her going to convenient store and purchasing candles. Each minor confrontation, the blonde kept her aloofness, the smile growing wider as she had Blake right where she wanted her. The Faunus was desperate enough to even ask Ruby and Weiss to see if Yang said anything to them, the younger couple as clueless as she was. As the time ticked closer to the blonde's ploy, Blake succumbed to what was destined to happen, regretting she couldn't figure out what Yang was celebrating.

The day started off normal, aside from Yang being surprisingly absent. Whenever Blake would come into conversations, there would always be a convenient excuse for the blonde to keep her distance. The Faunus was on edge, waiting the for the surprise, wondering if her friends were picking up on her strained nature. Whilst talking to Neptune, she noticed the red dot, the one that haunts her in her sleep, dancing around the tanned-man's vest. The dot taunted her as it rose between his eyes, Neptune none the wiser. She quickly turned around, determined to find the source to the red menace.

"And that's why Sun... Blake, is something wrong?"

"No, not at all. I-I just remembered I have to do laundry. I'll see you later." The Faunus gave a quick hug and whisked off out of the cafeteria, the source coming from many of the tall windows of the building. She stayed vigilant, knowing the red dot was close and was going to catch it this time. A flitting circle wrapped around the trunk of a tree, the Faunus eagerly chasing it as it carried her back to the dormitories. She had it where she wanted it, down a hallway with only two directions. She whipped her head around to be stumped. No person and the dot clearly laughing at her as it bobbed up and down.

The dot disappeared under the doorway to her room, Blake opening it to feel a little deja vu from it all. At the end of the bookcase, a note was present, her name written in messy cursive only inscribed by one person. "_Meet me at the airfield. We have things to do._"

The Faunus almost crumpled the card as she was bested yet again. She calmly collected herself and moved along to meet her partner. The massive mane was in full view, Yang taking a whole bench to herself with arms outstretched on the sides, legs crossed, one kicking to the rhythm of the song she was humming. Underneath the aviators, Blake already saw the diabolical gaze of a mission complete. "Which are you more interested in finding out first? What's we're doing or how was the red dot in multiple places?"

Blake had already fallen for what Yang had planned, not seeing the point in not giving into her feline curiosity about the laser pointer. "How did you do it?"

Yang reached to her belt into one of her satchels, pulling out a mini makeup page, waving the obvious answer in front of her. "A lot of well placed mirrors, and yes, I was always within ten feet of you. It's all about misdirection."

"You mean similar to how you've been keeping whatever you have planned a secret," Blake keyed into the not-so-subtle hint.

"You can say that." Yang got up and laid her hand around the Faunus' waist, directing her to the arriving airship. "You're fine, Blake. Today's we're just spending the day together like we did. I hope you're hungry."

"I could go for some food. Coffee and the few sides one has with them are the only food I've eaten," Blake responded, the blonde keeping her attention so close that she didn't feel her peckishness till she listed her meals.

"A perfect start. I intend to make it a perfect end." The couple boarded the airship, Blake still not liking that her partner was being this ambiguous in her intentions. However, feeling Yang's aura course through her, the scent of her citrus shampoo drifting from her hair, being so close to her lover, is what she wanted in the end. Blake was done fighting it, putting her mind on neutral and opening herself to the date.

Blake was surprised that her tolerance threshold wasn't in any danger of being put to the test, her girlfriend's date restrained in nature as the extravagance of it all was as low-key as when they would spend time together. She couldn't complain, the atmosphere to her liking with them simply winging it, but couldn't understand why Yang burned herself out on planning if their final stop was a noodle shop. It was quaint, welcoming yellow lanterns hanging above each table glowed a gentle hue, and a warmness flowing from the kitchen to the entrance that carried the salivating-inducing smell of their cuisine.

As they took their seats, Blake caught on quick how the blonde was steering her food choices to both heat and sweet. The Faunus wasn't too fond of heat compared to her girlfriend, Yang occasionally burping fire when the capsaicin sauce had too much a kick for her. She went along with the prepared menu, Blake not fighting to see where feeding her oysters and shrimp noodles with spicy garlic chilies would play into Yang's date. It was a taller order to fill than she realized, the Faunus drenching herself as the spicy fruit felt like lava simmering in her mouth, the zest gurgling in the back of her throat that the coldest of liquids couldn't cure. Blake was not alone in the pain, the blonde having drops of sweat dribble from her nose as she kept her composure, the Faunus promising she'd get her back for this ploy.

A few payments to the restaurant and the cab brought them back to the room, Blake knowing where this was heading, not anticipating that her window for revenge would open so soon. "I still feel it even though I'm sure the taste buds are dead."

"It wasn't so bad. It opens your taste buds, if anything. I bet you're feeling _alive_ right about now," her breath like fire as it hit the Faunus' face. She couldn't discredit the blonde, her heart rate beating blood around fast enough that being attached at the hip to her girlfriend was only making her perspire more.

As they approached the room, Blake pinned her lover to the door, Yang quick with the key before she let out a ringing squeal that would have alerted the neighbors as to what was to transpire. "Hey. Hey," the blonde broke away from the Faunus' advances, her stronger arms firmly strapping Blake's to her sides. "Get in the shower. Get you nice and clean before getting dirty."

"Join me." The Faunus wrestled to get closer to her girlfriend, only for Yang to pick her up and place her past the bathroom threshold.

"I would, but I got some preparations to do over on this end," the blonde's spiritedly winked before shutting the door on the Faunus. At the slam of the door, it hit Blake as to what Yang was up to.

"She was trying to get me worked up... She dished out lines from my favorite books, fed me what I recall to be aphrodisiacs, and those candles she bought at the store are probably being lit to further spur me into a sex frenzy. Well played, Yang." A smile curled around her face as the endgame was as she expected, completely her girlfriend's spirit.

Blake did as she was instructed, respecting the effort put into the date and not dragging her partner under the shower head. She foregone running her hair through the tap, the sheets going to get their usual soaking without the extra water clinging to her threads. She turned the facet closed, drying herself off passably before bursting into the other room and tackling her girlfriend to the bed. She sifted through her vestments, looking for the ribbons that would be thrashed in the wash, Blake confused where she could have hastily tossed her simple disguise.

A scent swept under the door, the silky smell immediately having Blake forget her task and drive her to the next room. She creaked open the door, flicking off the bathroom bulbs to be treated to a light show of meticulously placed candles, the vanilla aroma powerful as it soothed her frenzied libido. In the glow of the orange lights, she could make out her girlfriend, stretched out on their bed, arm propping up her head as she devilishly grinned back at the frozen Faunus. Blake found out the mystery of the disappearing ribbons, the blonde meticulously scantily clad herself in the black strips to precisely cover up her abdomen and her assets, her top-heavy chest barely contained by the binds. Her bottom half was hidden under a white sheet, the layer lowly dangling from her hips, the Faunus taking a gulp as she knew her partner was bare. Like a gift wrapped for her, a knot was the decorative piece holding the trimming together, her trademark bow adorned atop the blonde mane, Blake enraptured by the beauty.

Yang curled her fingers, beckoning the Faunus to her side, giving a cheeky kiss to the air as she snared her with her charm. Blake shuffled to her, careful not to knock over the many candles leading towards their love nest. She clung to her bath towel tight, the fabric hugging the Faunus' titillating curves the blonde was sampling, hungrily surveying the damp woman. "Abandon the towel. It's not going to be of use after I soak you through the sheets."

Blake rolled her eyes, the mettle oozing from her that a towel would be inept. "I figured something was up when you were pushing me to take a shower."

"I needed some time to wrap your gift. Hope you don't mind that my ribbons aren't festive, but they were what I could find lying around." Yang pulled her girlfriend to the bed, Blake propping herself to admire the clever beauty in front of her.

"I know I've been vocal about the random gift giving, but I'll let it slide this one time with how lavish the present is," Blake teased back, her face lightly tinting pink as the blonde's ruse was having its desired effect.

Yang pulled on the hem Blake's towel, the garment loose enough to slowly slink down her chest. Blake was enticed by the blonde's will and leaned in, awaiting for her lover to set them off. "Happy sex-iversary, Blake."

The romantic trance was broken, the Faunus pulling away as she heard the reason for the indulgence of today's activities. She flipped through her memory, Yang not wrong as it was a year since that faithful day where Blake and her shared the most intimate of acts together for the first time. With this new bevy of information, her girlfriend's face still puckered, oblivious that the Faunus had pulled out, her brain cracked, the woman reacting the only way appropriate.

*-Yang-*

Behind the blanket of her lids, a cackle broke out, the blonde wondering how the Faunus' lips hadn't captured hers until her girlfriend collapsed next to her, the woman gasping for air as the stitches were popping on her. Yang was puzzled to see such a romantic gesture turn so wrong, the tears forming in her girlfriend's eyes the sign she was having too good a laugh from what was said. She let the Faunus simmer down, the brawler vexed as she stood mostly naked with her arms crossed, a scowl as crabby as the ice princess coming easy as she let Blake roll around on the bed.

What felt like a humiliating eternity, Blake composed herself as best she could, rubbing the droplets in the corners of her eyes as Yang stared down the amber irises. "May I ask, what is so funny?"

"Oh, come on. You can't tell me you were taking this whole thing that seriously. You said 'Happy sex-iversary.' I could have sworn it was a joke," Blake having trouble stifling her enjoyment as her whites were showing past the breaks in her fingers.

"When I thought of it at first, it was a joke. I was going to surprise and remind you all day of the date that swept you off your feet and into these sheets," Yang tugging at the white ones covering her bottom half. "But... as I thought about it more, I didn't want to dilute our first time into a tease-fest. That day was special as far as first times go. I remember every scent, every move, every feeling, and that's more than I could ever say about previous partners. There was this connection instantly. Sure, there were a few kinks that got smoothed out over time, but I never had to work out how much I loved you after that point. It was clear that you were not like the rest and I had something special in my arms before I fell asleep. I honestly thought you would've figured it out by everything that I've been doing the past couple of weeks."

Yang had more to say, but stopped herself, the words becoming as laughable as Blake response. For the first time in a long while, she was ashamed. Her hands gripped a the sheets, wishing she could snap her fingers and deilluminate the room so she could clean up and get into her pajamas. Blake inched closer on her knees, leaning in and giving the blonde a chaste kiss on the cheek. "That is really sweet to hold that day in such high regards. I didn't mean to laugh, but I sort of laugh at the couples that celebrate any little milestone. If I did have your way, and if it wasn't like four days before our anniversary, I would have loved to celebrate the day we first kissed. I may have ran, but I knew that it wasn't happenstance that you broke my will and let my inhibitions go when you held me there and kissed me back."

The blonde broke into a small smile as she reminisced about that day, choosing to stay silent about wanting to commemorate that occasion as well. "Yeah... I guess we have different parts of the relationship we cherish, lest we become Jaune and celebrate everything." The mood lifted as they were reminded of the many occasions the blonde boy wonder pulls off because his daring way of dating branded him as the resident dolt by not just Weiss. Pyrrha was either a trooper or truly charmed by his efforts.

"And if we left it up to you, I'm sure there's other times we've had sex that you'd want to reminisce about," Blake asserted, Yang also guilty of planning future events similar if this night went as planned. "It's been a long time since we've had to draw boundaries, but I'm putting my foot in the sand and drawing the line here."

"It's probably for the best. If I believe this relationship will last as long as I think it will, a lot of these types of things will be insignificant to the grand scheme of it all. Still... it's a waste to not do anything when I already kicked Ruby and Weiss out. Way to ruin the mood," the usual flare of the blonde's teasing picking up. She took a candle off the bookcase, giving a dab of saliva to her finger and thumb, and extinguishing the flame. "You got any ideas?"

Blake had to think for a bit, but she came up with an idea that is perfect for the winter weather. "You have any alcohol in your suitcase? Wouldn't mind getting tipsy and watching some bad movies today."

She was fond of the idea, but knew she hadn't restocked since Blake's birthday party. "The well has actually run dry. We'll have to go down to a store and pick some up."

"Or we go bar hopping," the Faunus suggested. "We don't have to be sneaking our alcohol in plastic cups anymore. Why not just go around the downtown and see what we can scour up? My treat."

Yang did forget that the team, Ruby excluded, were now of legal drinking age. It should feel like a triumph, but all it did was make getting loose beverages a lot easier, the blonde using her cleavage for free drinks instead of illegal obtainment of bottles. However, hope springs eternal, Yang giving one last try to her scheme before donning on clothing. She pretended to stretch, a stealthy maneuver to place her hands behind her head, bumping out her chest to make her already pronounced bosom more prominent to the Faunus. "You sure you still don't want to unwrap your gift?" the seductive tone interwoven with a wicked smile.

Blake stood happily embarrassed across from her, hiding her flustered face before reaching out and grasping the end of a ribbon. The silky tendrils loosened, the wrappings falling around her as the blonde stood nude before her lover. Yang thought she had her, the Faunus closing her eyes, her body pressing hard against hers, the fabric of the towel the only barrier keeping them from detonating across the bedroom. Blake's nails coiled up her back, the shocks sending the little hairs on stand on end as she curled all the way to her scalp. Her breath moistened her ear, but not her. "Get dressed. We got some drinking to do."

Her eyes followed Blake to the dresser as she watched the towel fall to the floor, a deep sigh automatically escaped her as she saw the Faunus' bare butt in the dim light. That comforting feeling fleeted from her as she knew that would be the last time today she gets to see her in her purest form. Yang sat and admired as long as she could, handing over her girlfriend's ribbons before donning on her wears. If there was some satisfaction in watching Blake get dressed, it was the yellow and black scarf she bought for her birthday. As fun and undeniably sexy it was to have the hickies present as the sign that they were claimed, both also found them unsightly, using the scarves to hide them at the end of the day. Blake was taken by Yang's idea so much that she did promise to return the favor on her birthday, but gave the blonde her black collar, Yang retiring her lucky orange in favor of her partner's marker.

The massive metropolitan area of Vale had many establishments for alcohol imbibing, only problem was the millions of citizens paying patronage on the Saturday night as well. Yang's beauty could get her in, but couldn't always get her service as the sea of bodies made it hard to just get up to the bar. Blake made it a rule that the first guys to inevitably hit on them would pop up, then it would be time to slug down their glasses and move on to the next bar. That plan, although humorous to grab drinks to-go as the desperate men were left stupefied as the couple left as soon as they arrived, backfired extremely quick as the Faunus forgot how most people drop their dignity for a chance for Yang to even acknowledge them.

Eventually, to dodge the crowds, the duo made their way to the outskirts of the trendiness of the classy exclusive bars, Yang remembering that the bars around Junior's club were more or less busy, but not full. In a tipsy daze, the two stumbled into a business that was surprisingly less seedy than the rest of the district. A couple neon signs in the front made it look tacky, but the inside was a well-decorated pub. Spacious, wooden, circular tables were arranged perfectly to give wading room and privacy for those inside, gas lamps adding a mysterious, yet welcoming hue to the setup, adding to the oil originals of Vale's up-and-coming artists. The bar was well lit and decently stocked, the sunder lights showing the spectrum of colors of the liquor. No waitstaff was needed, the two taking to the cozy corner in the back of the gastropub, huddling in a booth as the outside windchill picked up.

"I'm so glad a year ago there wasn't any wind. Even with my aura, I would have found it tough to pull off the ice skating if it was this cold," Yang said while browsing the specialty cocktails on the menu.

"Part of me said to dress warmer too, but you're usually the best advantage I have against cold weather. Speaking of which, this makes me feel even worse. We left poor Ruby and Weiss out in the hall that day, the two probably freezing as we unintentionally kicked them out," Blake reminded, spurring the blonde's memory of a fact she learned.

"What's actually funny is that Ruby recently told me that today was actually the day them two kissed. Us going on a date and kicking them out forced them to confront their feelings and become a couple. That little story of the next week they kissed after a long training session was a bold lie so they could pick and choose the date for their anniversary, neither wanting to have their day associated with our sex."

"I wish you wouldn't take so much joy in that," Blake commented. "As much credit as we should get from that, I do wish they could have their own story to tell that was genuine. Forever they will have a fabricated story to tell people about how they got together while we... nevermind."

"Nevermind what?" Yang offended that her girlfriend would have ill impressions of that day. "It wasn't the most glamorous way to get together, but the ending was worth it."

"Yeah, but we alter the story a little when we tell friends, trading in my usual running away from problems for shyness. It makes me wonder if I still am that person," Blake partially slurred, the alcohol taking its intended effect as brutal honesty was the Faunus' giveaway when inebriated. Yang pulled her in closer, giving a kiss through the bow.

"I know you're not one to listen, but if it means anything, I don't think you're that person anymore. Adam coming back did stun you at first, but I've seen you train harder, speak more freely about the past, and a fire reignited that had been absent since you met him again. I can't predict the future, but I feel that you will mow him down the next time we see him. Your days of running away are over."

The Faunus smiled deep, a sloppy kiss making it past her black scarf as Blake gave her wordless sentiment. There were some perks to the drunk Faunus as she was more receptive to personal displays of affection, the blonde sneaking her hand down and around to her toned love handles until the waiter came by, the couple surprised that it was a Faunus with a cat tail. Upon a closer inspection, the bar was full of Faunus, Yang the odd woman out as she may have been the only human in the bar. The aftertaste of feeling like Blake usually does when she enters a room wasn't pleasant, but it seems her Lien was as good as any customer, the waiter coming back with their drinks promptly.

The cocktails were deceivingly sweet, the blonde finding herself nursing her drink before the night ends with a cab driver dumping her outside her destination, and taking his more than fair share of Lien out of her. That or Blake being the designated hero and carrying her blabbing self back to the dorms, the blonde choosing responsibility to make sure she was not playing damsel-in-drunken-stupor later. Yang did like having a beverage with friends, especially her girlfriend. There was a lot of responsibility to being a huntress, making the teams mentally age past their teenage years. A night with alcohol was a pleasant reminder that everyone was kids, very big kids.

"I wish we brought Weiss with us," Yang giving a small hiccup as her inebriation was taking her. "She thinks she's so much better when she orders the more expensive stuff, only to have Ruby holding her hair back for her when she's face first in a bowl."

"Or Jaune. That voice inside his head that tells him not to do things is silent, getting him back into girl's clothing too easy. What's sad is that, because Pyrrha has been turning him into a worthy huntsman, is he gained all that muscle. Back to when we were first years, he would have modeled some women's clothes quite well," the Faunus reminisced. Yang sipped from her cup as she heard the assumption, a dribble of alcohol oozing back as she remembered how horrific Jaune looked in Pyrrha's panties.

"Still, I like that it's just us. With no one else around, no need to be mischievous," the blonde lied through her teeth as her fingers crept along the Faunus' torso, tips maneuvering around the toned body, Blake giving a small nip to her shoulder as Yang was breaking past the white top. "It was worth a shot."

"I didn't want to have to say this, but I let Ruby and Weiss know they could come back to the room." Blake took a sip with her smug smirk as she checkmated her partner. Yang's hopes were dwindling, the expression on her face a larger indicator than the deep sigh of defeat set in. "Don't pout. We're still spending the night together." The Faunus' cheeks were a rosy tinge, her eyes lazily gazing back from the light glaze of intoxication. Although her drive was preparing for a night of sexcapades, Blake shifted the energy to a magnetism that made her want to sit in the booth cuddling with her girlfriend. With patrons slowly calling it a night, the two didn't mind curling up closer in the back, the Faunus nestling her head in the crook of Yang's neck as she was letting the booze take her.

The blonde watched as the customers were leaving. Not wanting to stare, but couldn't help her mind from catching it from the corner of her eye was the different Faunus attributes. Fawn horns, a bunny's tail, and a Faunus with a retractable tongue like a frog's were just a few that were leaving. Her hand stroked the back of her Faunus' head, the cat ears twitching with happiness as they struggled to flutter under the bow. The light motions tickled Yang's cheek, but got her drunken mind thinking of a question she hated herself for never asking.

"Blake, you know how you're, like, a Faunus and all."

"I don't like where this is heading," Blake retorted, the dryness in her answer knowing this can only lead to a question of asked out of ignorant curiosity.

"You obviously liked a Faunus once, but did any attributes ever stick out as being more appealing than the other?" the blonde questioned. "Like, if I was a Faunus, what would be the one thing you'd like to see on me."

Yang was surprised to see her girlfriend ponder the question instead of feeding the cheeky woman any answer that would suffice her ego. The Faunus swirled her drink around, the brawler impressed by the introspection. "A fox tail," she answered with a smile. "Many fox Faunus I've met are very friendly, always looking for something or someone to play with. Some may consider it too much energy, but I see it as Faunus that have a mission and focus themselves into it until it's done. They're very perceptive, aware of other's feelings and respond with such a nurturing way. Even if nurturing calls for an aggressive protective measure when one of their family is hurt. They aren't all good, though, many of them have a natural cunning, which they use to their advantage. They're also very adept, always able to go solo or work with a team. They're able to get through tricky situations or navigate themselves in the darkness."

Blake's words were all clearly aimed at the blonde's characteristics, Yang pleased it wasn't something like bull's horns because they have a bad temper. "Also, as much as another appendage would annoy me, foxes tails are unbelievably soft. The times it wouldn't be slapping my butt, and entwining around us as we snuggle like this, would be worth the momentary irritation. With how wild and full your hair is, I can't imagine the golden bushiness and white tip of your tail."

The blonde gave a tickle to the back of Blake's cat ears, Yang crossing her fingers that finally she would be rewarded and have the Faunus elicit the ability to purr that she continuously denies she possesses. "Thanks, Blake. That gives me some ideas."

"Don't think about role play one day with a fox tail. I know what I said, but you with a fox tail is not a dream that's worth pursuing past this conversation. Even if it was for a night, for a bit of fun, I would still prefer the human I fell in love with," Blake confessed, the woman's eyes pulling Yang in closer, lifting her partner by the chin and kissing her with a drunken zeal, a kiss she was considering might have been more satisfying than the night she had planned.

As the midnight oil kept burning, the girls were tossing back their drinks, a mini pyramids of glasses being stacked in the middle of the table as a symbol of how trashed either of them were getting. The women were to the point of obnoxiously getting louder. Every word, whether joke or non-joke, was setting them off in a laughing frenzy. Yang wished alcohol made them sleepy, dreading the bill as the drinks were only giving them more ideas to drink. The blonde was far past feeling numb-in-the-face, tipsy and overly-affectionate drunk was in place, Blake's inebriation letting the blonde have her way to an extent with a plethora of clumsily placed kisses.

Yang was getting ready to tackle the Faunus, hoping to spur her into a cab for a drunken session of making out, until Blake placed a hand firm against her chest. As much as she wanted to believe this was second base and rounding to third, the serious look in her girlfriend's face had her questioning the end of the good times. "Blake, what are you..."

"Shush." The Faunus clasprf a hand over her mouth, attention focusing on the booth adjacent. "I heard White Fang."

A chill ran up her spine as she heard the seriousness in Blake's tone. Whatever was in the next booth, it was no laughing matter. The girls straightened up, the Faunus positioning herself better so her cat ears could pick up the conversation, mouthing off quietly so her partner could get the gist of what was being said. Yang remembered the group of Faunus that made their way to the back during a round of shots, mostly looks of disgust was rare for the lovely women. She didn't think twice about it as her brain was sloshing around in whiskey and coke, but it left a sinister sensation that her gut didn't let go.

Blake picked up as much as she could, Yang fiddling around with her scroll and taking notes, hoping the next morning they would be legible. "There's something about a massive recruitment happening soon and they've said some really mean things about the two bimbo humans in the next booth."

"That's..." the blonde pausing for a burp politely enclosed in her hand, "flattering. Anything else?"

"That's the only key thing. These guys all seem like White Fang personnel. It's funny to think that we had shifts like a regular job, we just weren't paid well. It was almost no different than working as a second-class citizen. We just had some social-justice banner behind us before we turned," Blake pointed out, Yang wondering if her stay in the militia was part of the reason she fostered a love of books, her own way of escaping.

"Well, that explains the abundance of Faunus in this bar. Do you think a lot of them were White Fang?"

"Not a lot, but more than we'd like to be around when we're trying to have fun. I knew something was up, but we were at the end of our rope. That's when this little gem popped up where we could enjoy ourselves that I didn't want to alarm you." The blonde watched the Faunus mentally kick herself. She wanted to reach out and call attention to how far Blake has come. The calculated, headstrong ways of her huntress training in full form as she eavesdropped. As Yang wanted to congratulate her girlfriend for coming out of her slump, more information filtered through. "Weapons they claim that were stolen recently will be showcased. Seems Roman figured out not everybody can pilot an Atlesian mech. Seems he wants to arm everyone more efficiently than displaying a powerhouse. This is what I was dreading. Arming mercenaries and finding talent like me and Adam is one thing. Civilian uprising will cause riots and potentially a war."

"And I thought blowing holes in underground with a train was bad. If he actually motivates enough, it could spread and where will people run when escaping the city and go toe-to-toe with Grimm in the wild is the only option? We can't count on the other kingdoms for refuge if Roman presents himself as enough of a threat," Yang typing as furiously as she could into the scroll, tempted to have someone sober proofread it before she saved anything. "Any chance we could get a time and place for this party?"

"Maybe. A couple of them have to leave and go back to work. Nab the waiter next time we see him. We're tailing them." Yang took her girlfriend's orders to consideration, none of which was being shocked at the bill when it was presented, the blonde weeping as the couple went dutch, leaving a more than generous tip as waiting for change would only give their targets more ground to lose them.

The couple pursued the men, finding it a lot harder after how much alcohol was running through their system. The usual careful steps to keep their tracking noise to a minimum was replaced by the hard scuffles as either of them would lose balance. Blake suggested taking to the rooftops, finding it harder to jump accurately. After one hard thud to a dumpster, Yang convinced her that it might be best to keep it to amateur tactics, revealing the makeup tile she used to trick Blake with earlier, watching the men's reflection turn a corner, rushing to the next alley to stay on objective.

Deep in the industrial district, the men made their way into a warehouse too familiar to the women as the front of the building looked acquainted. It was one of many hideouts White Fang had under their control, but this one seemed busier than the night they first stumbled upon it. It may have been good timing, but trucks and crates were being transported, a lot of it in unmarked boxes aside from the little tagging the organization uses to not mistake shipment. The two stood from an alcove across the street, Yang cursing her wild mane as she sat and waited next to Blake as she observed the liveliness. "Not mechs this time. Containers are too small, but not small enough for weapons."

The blonde quickly penned in the tidbit of info, slumping next the dingy wall. "Seems good that the intel was correct, but I want to see what they are, or better yet, what they can do." Yang pointed to a fire escape. It was metal, busted up and around three stories tall. "If we keep quiet, we can jump from that roof to get to the bay windows."

Blake was skeptical, but they were far enough from the facility that if they were to have a rough and tumble with the stairs, they could get away before they set off alarms. As soon as Yang got her footing on the rusted metal, the flimsy contraption shifted against the wall, the couple taking turns on the rickety set. The ten foot gap between buildings might as well have been a crack to the center of the world, both taking a leap of faith for a jump they clear on a regular basis when the Faunus chases Yang around Beacon.

The two dusted each other off, their motor skills shot as balancing themselves after the jump had them both on the rough surface of the building. Not wanting to trip through the massive windows, the couple took to crawling, inching themselves to a perfect view of normal operations on a weekday. It wasn't a massive car assembly line, but there was organization being done to produce weapons. It took a lot of hands, careful tinkering and time, but The White Fang were able to produce something neither of them had seen before.

It was hard to tell at first, but the blast from the rifle was the leak that delivered on dangerous. Raw powered dust were chambered like Weiss' Myrtenaster, the person testing each rifle would punch in a code on the side, rearranging the cells to the desired combination, red and blue dust making the deadliest combination. Blake and Yang felt the building shake underneath them with each firing of the weapon, wondering if the structural integrity could take more hits with whatever was absorbing the blows. Their lightweight casing was exhibited by the general tossing from one man to another as the wood box armory was being built.

As Yang was transfixed on the demonstration of new White Fang weaponry, the corner of her eye caught the red tips of fury. Adam seemed to be overseeing the production, his face still masked by the Grimm wear, his cocky stance wresting unmitigated anger from her. The blonde's fist already raised as she was going to bust through the glass and pound him into submission. As she was waving the downward thrust, her partner caught her hand, head shaking, ordering her to stop her actions.

"He's right there. Let's bust that mask over his head." Yang tried wrestling out of Blake's grip to strike down on the pane, her girlfriend making sure she wasn't making a horrific mistake.

"It took us ten minutes to get up here when all it should've taken is a jump. What do you expect would happen if you jumped down there?"

"I'd fight him."

"You can't even fight me. We're drunk. I don't know how we're going to make it home with the cab services shutting off, let alone fight."

"You are giving us way too little credit. I can still pack a punch," Yang raising her fist in defiance as she was going to make her ambush. Almost getting her arm yanked out of its socket, the Faunus pulled her off the ground, spinning her around and taking a spot across from her.

"Take a stance and hit me." Blake wobbled back-and-forth as she waited for Yang's strike. The blonde didn't hesitate, jumping in before taking a proper pose. Her sluggish punches had too much force behind them, Blake's nimble nature may have been brought down a few notches, but was able to dodge what her partner was dishing out. Some awkward footwork had Yang tripping over her heel, the Faunus, with open arms, catching her as they collided to the ground. "See."

"We're so close, though. It's a shame to walk away from this," Yang complained, not realizing that her hate for Adam seethed through her tone.

"I know, but we'll throw away a lot of information if we get caught today. We need support and all we'll do, if we go down there, is get caught. When we do this, it's going to be done right." The Faunus beseeched, her rationale, not losing its footing as she let out a stifled burp. Blake was determined to take down Adam, so much so that she wasn't running herself into the ground to do it. Yang wouldn't deter from her girlfriend's wishes, seeing that premeditated drive of her training in full form that had been missing for so long that she almost forgot what it looked like. The determined stare in the amber orbs told her what she's been wanting Blake to realize since her birthday. She's ready.

The couple could hear voices from across the roof, the ruckus of heavy boots to shingles getting closer had them up off their feet and onto the streets. Running at full speed had their swift getaway turning into a cavalcade of crashes and curses, but the two slowed down when they felt like they were in the clear. They've had longer treks on missions, but the ten miles back to the Beacon airfield seemed like the most remote place in existence. They took it one staggering step at a time, Yang wrapping her arm around Blake's waist, the Faunus doing the same as they steadied themselves back to the academy.

The fragmented moon was high in the night sky, the few stars that could be viewed in the city polishing the downtown with enough light as they trudged back. Contrary to what they saw at the compound, Vale had mostly gone to bed, the rare car passing by the only witnesses to the couple shambling along the sidewalk. Yang focused on the silver lining of the encounter, not needing to flip it for the Faunus as she was in a spirited mood, drunken babble carrying the playful tone.

"I'm, like, oh for three today. Couldn't stop White Fang, figure out your date, and that red dot... that flouting little red nuisance, still alluded me," Blake smiling through her rant.

"The red dot will always be one step ahead of you. Don't feel too bad about that one," the blonde shining her knuckles with her breath and rubbed them triumphantly against her jacket. "As for The White Fang part, we have to be some really lucky huntresses. How often do we come across something like that?"

"Fairly regular if we think about it. We just usually aren't hot messes when it happens," the Faunus shot back, the women sharing a laugh as the home stretch was upon them. They walked along the riverbed, the moonlight glimmering against the calm surface, the light brushing of the current having the blonde crave the softness of her sheets. "Hey... like, I know it's hard to admit with everything that's led up to this point, and I know it's the booze talking, but I was completely smitten by the sex-iversary."

Yang's already jovial mood lit up at the mini-confession, the blonde glancing over to see her partner's drunken rose brighten redder. "Aww, Blake. Thank you. I knew you would come around. Let's double back to that hotel we passed and..."

"Not smitten enough to celebrate it. It was incredibly thoughtful and that's a lot more than I could say about Adam. You though..." The Faunus paused, twirling the blonde around so she was facing her, the amber orbs inviting as they were lush in the presence of the blonde. "It's absolutely a travesty that all of that hard work didn't pay off, so how about this proposal? I want you to keep this energy. I want all of this and more after finals." The Faunus inched closer to Yang's face, her breath moistening her skin as Blake traced a finger from her lips to the more enticing destination of her ample cleavage. "After that last one, we slip away from the rest of the team, hop on Bumblebee, and drive home. Considering how little it was used because the semester started, I think waiting until we get to use a bed worthy of a celebration will be in order for the apology I owe you."

If the proposition wouldn't be thrown out the window, Yang would have pounced on her Faunus and made love to her on the river banks. Still, the offer was intriguing, the blonde cooperating as she gave a restrained kiss to Blake, fingers tightly grazing her cheek as the lavender scent in her hair transported her to prior passionate engagements that she would be utilizing in a few days. "You drive a hard bargain, but I promise to drive you harder. I anticipate your arrival, Miss Belladonna." Yang laying heavily accent on the '_arrival_' to put her unique stamp of approval on it.

Blake's lips curled effortlessly as she smiled back, Yang happy to see her lips part as she made her thoughts personified. "I love you, Yang."

"I love you too, Blake." Yang's lazy kiss after making it abundantly clear they need to get back before a bench became their bed. The blonde could feel the impending hangover as they walked further along, the only thing keeping her mind from the pain was her love for the Faunus next to her. "_I should've known a sex-iversary was a shot in the dark. Blake's trashy books at least have an assortment of class spread throughout them. That division giving what she needed most, resolution. It's been a long time since we did a couple's project together. Never did I think it could be as satisfying as this._"


	36. Ruby: Annuals

I'll make this quick. It's been almost two years since Underneath the Surface was published and we've come a long, long way. Thank you to all who have been here since the beginning and those who joined along the way. It's been surreal to say the least. With my artist, Bakki's, tendonitis, the Bumblebee pic is happening, but very slowly. Maybe a valentine's day type release. Till then, enjoy some White Rose.

Ruby: Annuals

Ruby hit the bed with a thunderous flop as she let the exhaustion take her, spiritless body melding into the sheets. Lethargic groans uttered from the pain subsiding, the leader's mind coming down from the excessive high that she and Weiss put themselves through. Finals were usually a very stressful time for any student, but the heiress was in overdrive with the lackluster grades she was about to receive if she didn't get stellar marks on the final. Ruby wanted to protest, find that voice to tell her girlfriend that a B+ is an acceptable grade and she shouldn't be ashamed if she receives one. When she took her stance, the ice princess stared back at her as if she was speaking in word salad, grabbed her by the wrist, and threw her into a study room.

The quieter woman wanted to stop this self-harming behavior of the brutal study session she's had with her partner, but her grades could use a point higher for perfecting a semester. With seeing her just shy of that achievement, she dove in as hard as Weiss in their notes. Training missions with Grimm were less taxing than what the couple were putting themselves through. In the week prior to the exams, the leader slept less than the time her mom left the cookie jar outside of the locked cabinet. The toddler-at-the-time Ruby climbed her way to a sweet delicious end that wired her till the wee hours of the night.

It wasn't easy or fun, but worth it. Even in her semi-conscious slumber, a wide smile spread across her face, the endorphins of victory surging through her that keeping her from going into a coma as soon as her body relaxed in the bed. "Aced it."

The rare time Ruby would leave an exam this confident in her answers came around in certain subjects. Never for an Oobleck class where the eccentric professor was one to throw in sneaky minutia questions to separate the superior from the great. If Ruby had the energy to get up and celebrate, she would be dancing on the ceiling with her girlfriend in her arms. Wanting the share the revelry, she did wonder where her partner was, Weiss finishing well before anyone in the class having set a new personal record in taking exams.

She waited quietly in her room as the door creaked open, Ruby waiting for the same groaning from Yang or Blake next. She was greeted with a far more soothing scent, a warm richness coming from beyond the tent. The heiress shifted the curtains aside, the leader envious that she seemed less burdened by the week. The gentle smile she wore under the creases in her tired eyes were welcoming, Weiss tousling her hair as her own fatigued way of making merriment. "I hope I didn't wake you from your well-earned nap."

"Nah. I was just resting my eyes. I hope you didn't bring coffee. My body can't be carried more by caffeine. That and I'm sick of the taste with having it every day." Ruby responded, the loathsome burn of the rich texture nauseating at this stage.

"It's tea. Trust me, I'm as sick of coffee as you are. It's mostly sugar, just how you like it." Weiss offered a saucer and cup to her. The grounds of sugar had yet to fully dissolve, the crystals sliding along her tongue, soothing her more than the honey lemon. Weiss took a seat next to her in bed, the leader tugging at the ends of the heiress' jacket, the ice princess catching on to what she was wanting. She laced her fingers with Ruby's, a proud warmth spreading between them. "You're a trooper. Not many people would put up with that kind of academic abuse."

"Not many people inject sugar and caffeine into their system willingly either. I did it for me, but I also did it for you, and for this moment. I really like it when you smile." The weakened leader's sentiment made Weiss turn away and blush. Too embarrassed to look her back in the eyes, the heiress pulled the hood over Ruby's face.

"Do drink your tea. It's supposed to relax you. It may be filled to the brim with sugar, but your body is ready to knock out. I'll be quiet after you finish your cup."

"No. Keep me awake as long as you can. It's four. The last thing I want is to wake up at two in the morning and be wandering around the school wide awake. It'll throw me off when I go back home tomorrow. Which, by the way, I expect you to join me for at least a weekend during the break," Ruby reminded. After the meeting with her dad going over as well as it did, the leader wanted to share even more with Weiss, the first stop being the place she was raised. It may be winter and getting muggy, but the island of Patch was still a swell place to romp about. Maybe if her dad was around, Weiss could get to know him even better.

"I've absolutely been thinking about it, but I still have to go home and do some company procedures. Perhaps even catch up with Winter. The last thing I want to do is interact with my father, but it's a necessary evil at the moment." Weiss took a long sip from her tea, Ruby feeling her hand tense up at the mention of her father. It's been mostly quiet about the Schnee Dust Company, but that's only what Weiss chooses to divulge. If anything, Ruby's content that her presence alone is making a difference. "But maybe I should come with you this weekend at least. It is our anniversary after all."

Ruby was happy to hear the ringing in her ears. Upon preparations for a big event she had in store, it was quickly deflated as soon she realized that the term ended on the very same weekend. The leader tried to keep the spirit alive and worked it out in her head as best she could. But it turned into too much for her to handle once the couple prioritized grades over romance. "You mean our faux-anniversary."

"If you keep saying faux, you keep reminding yourself that we had to pick a date to help you forget about what transpired on that bed the very same day." Weiss pointed over to Yang and Blake's bunk, Ruby's spine chilling as the memory was so traumatically burned into her consciousness. "Not that I'm complaining either. It's a different kind of ilk to me, but as I thought about it, most of our friends sort of picked a date they agreed upon anyways for their anniversaries We just had a reason to to search for a date. I know we weren't together at the time, but our first date was pretty fun."

The leader couldn't have agreed more. It wasn't perfect, but neither were they as they were figuring out their feelings for each other. Ruby did always mentally kick herself for not being more forward on the Ferris Wheel, a kiss at the apex in the sunset be a more perfect thumbnail for their anniversary. Instead, she'd happily settle for Weiss' bravery at the fountain. "That pizza cookie wouldn't be the highlight if you just broke your little rule and kissed me on the first date," Ruby teased, peeking out from under her hood only for the heiress to pull it harder over her face.

"I deserve that. If my head wasn't telling me to flee, I would have. You earned a kiss as well," Weiss finally admitting something she'd been trying to coax out of her for over a year. "I know the exams did get in the way, but I can always pull some Schnee magic and have something arranged for tomorrow night if you really wanted."

Ruby didn't have to see Weiss' expression to know how painful it is to offer such a proposal. She has heard many times over that the ice princess tries to separate herself from money she hasn't directly earned. "No, it's fine. No one says you have to celebrate it on that day. We'll wait till you come over to visit Patch and we'll spend the days together. I promise it'll be better than sleeping against each other at the entrance freezing."

Weiss' fingers curled tightly with hers with her answer, the leader rewarded as the heiress lifted her hood back over her head and planted a loving kiss to her lips. "You keep hyping your home so much, you'll make me reverse homesick. A week will go by pretty quick. Just make certain arrangements to have Yang and Blake out of the house. It's an advantageous time to utilize the karma you built up from being so generous with the room when it was their anniversary," the heiress coyly implying what will transpire behind Ruby's closed doors. After this stressful week, she couldn't think of a better way to release.

"I'll use the underhanded puppy-dog eyes if that's what it takes." Ruby took a large sip from her cup, hoping Blake could help persuade Yang better when the times comes, the leader still not fond of sister asking sister of such private matters, using the girlfriend surrogate to avoid that embarrassing talk.

Ruby lay on her stomach in bed sipping tea, Weiss keeping her awake as long as she could with idle chit-chat. At some point, she knew her words would delude to incessant dribble, but the heiress played along, probably digging up some dirt that she'd sling back at her one day with how delirious her consciousness was. The last thing she remembered was Weiss' sweet voice under the blackness of her lids. Ruby woke up to darkness, her nap a little longer than she wanted with the time midway through dinner. The door slamming brought her from twilight to awake, the leader peeking her head out of the tent to see her girlfriend angrily toss her scroll against the desk.

"How dare he even have the nerve to say that?" she hissed under her breath, bringing her hands to her temples and dug her fingers to attempt to relieve herself of whatever happened.

"We-weiss," the leader's timid voice piped up, the ice princess caught off-guard by the now-alert leader, "did I miss something while I was out?"

"Kind of, but go back to sleep. We'll talk about it more when you're more rested."

"Those forty winks did me good. I'll listen." Ruby pulled away the curtain and sleepily pat the sheets to offer a seat to the heiress. Weiss exhaled deeply before taking a spot on the bed, the leader wondering if she gets to silently take an abusive rant or get to be more proactive with her partner.

"After you went to sleep, I got a call from my father. It was sweeter than most, but I could tell it was Winter that reminded him to contact me in the first place. She was probably in the room for a few minutes, making sure he didn't turn into the spiteful monster he is. After going over the semester, he brought up the banquet that I did with your dad. He couldn't have been more disparaging to my efforts. He goes off first about '_how dare I_' use any of his clients and that I should have searched for my own. Then how '_cute_' it was that I was trying to forge my first real contact with my girlfriend's father and wondered why Ozpin wasn't interested considering I'm a student at his school. I didn't do this to make him happy, only to earn his respect, but either the fight is too fresh or I'm destined to always be looking on from the outside in. I may never be allowed back into the Schnee fold and what's depressing is that I'm started to feel apathetic about it. Why try and redeem a name and company when I'm no longer welcomed?"

She was sure Weiss wasn't trying to bring her down to feel as bad as she, Ruby empathizing with her girlfriend as she felt the steam rising from her. The leader joined her at the edge of the bed, taking a page from Yang and going off the cuff. "At least he didn't say anything about how bad your plan is to bring new security to the company."

Weiss turned to giver her a glower that the leader hadn't seen in a time, Ruby retreating to her silent comfort zone as she still wasn't as talented a wordsmith as Yang. "I don't know how long I can keep this up, Ruby. I'm very tempted to tank and be an embarrassment to the Schnee name. Be the black sheep he keeps coloring me as and wallow in mediocrity. Yang knows some seedy characters. I'm sure they would be willing to help after I throw some Lien at them."

"I-I think that's going a bit too far. I know your father isn't the easiest to please, but did you honestly think you'd win him over while the project is still being developed?" Ruby insisted.

"I was hoping for a miracle, especially after how well it went," the heiress confided. "It is days like this I wish I was more compliant like Winter. Contrary to popular belief, I don't like having a permanent frown. But it's natural when I think about him or the company."

Ruby saw a perfect solution to Weiss' predicament. She didn't want to dig harder into the pitch, but it was worth a shot to alleviate her girlfriend's gloom. "One, I never want to you to stop being the rebel you are. You wouldn't be my sassy queen if you didn't have that determined spark. Two, if the company has really got you down, the only stores that sell Schnee Dust Company products are on the opposite side of Patch."

The frown smirked at Ruby's proposal, the smile cemented at the heiress quietly pondered the offer. "I had a sudden change of heart and declare that our anniversary should be celebrated on the appropriate day. I'm sure the offer to stay at your house is still available."

"Yeah is it." Ruby didn't hold back her happiness as she tightly wrapped her body around the heiress' "We're going to have so much fun. The weather should be decent enough to go to the beach, and there's a really nice shopping district in the wealthier part of the town, and we can practice on the beach with Crescent Rose and Myternaster. Oh, and then there's this place that..."

The leader's exuberant gushing was quelled with a simple kiss, Weiss figuring out Ruby's vice long ago to make the loquacious leader still with the loving gesture. The heiress pulled away, a desire for Ruby seen just beyond the icy orbs, her thumb circling her round cheek as the leader was being caressed. "And something else that's very pertinent to visiting you."

Fireworks were already being set off at the thought of what the leader had in store for Weiss' first overnight in her bedroom. "I'll promise that you won't be disappointed. Although the bed will probably be the same size and the comforter may have symbols from that 'Dead Fantasy' series I like so much."

Weiss was confused for a second until she caught on to the lewd notions, the heiress giggling as she embarrassingly admitted what she was leaning into. "I was actually talking about taking Zwei out for a walk."

Ruby instantly joined her girlfriend for a laugh, forgetting possibly the one thing in this world that she had a rivalry for Weiss' affection. "I forgot about him a bit. Dad didn't send him for us to play with all semester."

"And don't worry. We've become quite formidable beasts when we're underneath these sheets. So long as we're promised some privacy from your sister and dad, our anniversary will end with a satisfying bang."

Ruby didn't need to be told twice as she immediately brought out her scroll and texted the rest of the team. As she hit the send button a final time, she realized she hadn't seen them since the final. "Weiss, did you see Blake or Yang while I was out?"

"Now that you mention it, no. I texted them a little while back as well and see if they wanted to go off campus to celebrate, but I haven't heard back from them," the ice princess clarified. "Should we be worried?"

"No. Yang's pretty mature despite her actions and Blake is the sharpest vigilante out of us four. My familial love wants to be concerned, but Dad's almost gotten ulcers from days she wasn't around and she handled herself just fine," Ruby insisted, her own logic not enough to clam all of her worry for her sister.

"Perhaps she and Blake are doing what we should be doing, celebrating together." Weiss walked over to the brawler's secret suitcase, the heiress discovering a special find that she didn't anticipate uncovering. "A wonderful year. It may not be chilled, but that's an easy fix." The ice princess said while digging into her own suitcase for a vial of blue dust. With accurate restraint, she channeled the blue dust around the bottle, a thin layer of the icy film coating the exterior. The heiress hid the alcoholic evidence in Ruby's hood as they went down to the cafeteria. It may have not been a five-star restaurant quality, but the girls took a couple bowls of chicken alfredo to-go. Prior to leaving, the leader pocketed a couple of cookies before reclusing to a more private setting of Beacon's castle.

There was a flat terrace that over looked the gardens, Ruby playfully kicking her feet to the cool winter air as she sat on the edge, the food and drink between them as the broken moon was full. "I forgot stems, so this will have to work. Happy anniversary, Ruby," the heiress cheered before taking a more than generous swing of the bottle before handing it over.

"Happy anniversary, Weiss," Ruby matching the zeal, putting down the knowledge she may get tipsy quicker than her taller partner. At the beginning of their relationship, the leader's biggest fear was that she never wanted to bore the ice princess, her excessive talking coming in handy until Weiss had to actually bring it up as a problem. It was like getting shot through the heart with how much pain her words had, but it was the best advice she could've gotten. A year in, the comfortable silence was more of a target when together with Weiss and easier as time went on, the only annoying part was when they were eating, Ruby liking being fed by her partner.

"We're still not past this yet?" the heiress lovingly let out, the hint of annoyance she forces in a transparent facade.

Ruby's mouth was open, awaiting her morsel as she grunted her answer. Weiss gave in, as she always does, and planted the creamy treat in her. "Mmm. The chefs got it right today."

"They did. At least we know where part of the tuition goes to. These ingredients are exceptionally fresh and well prepared."

"It's no five-star restaurant, but..."

"I told you to not beat yourself up about this," the heiress catching on to the self-deprecating barrage she was going to hit herself with. "It may not be as exciting as either of us would have liked, nor as luxurious, and perhaps not as romantic, but I'm having a lot of fun with you." Grey eyes met Weiss', the gaze clear of any falsehood, calming the leader as the next day's events were being rearranged to match the expectations for tonight.

As the meal continued, so did the drinking, the leader either a permanent light-weight or her tolerance is still too low as her cheeks brighten a scarlet hue before her girlfriend's. In her tipsy state, the quiet conversation became more animated as her hands and mouth were attempting to roam the heiress' body. Alcohol brings out the lewd coyishness in the leader, the champagne and her actions wearing down Weiss' resistance to her incomparable charm.

"I'm going to tie you up if you keep these shenanigans up." Weiss threatened, unable to keep up her tough exterior as Ruby's light pecks to the neck had her fighting giggles.

"We could try that." Ruby's inebriated nature perking up her impish thoughts.

"I don't want to burst your bubble or anything, but we still haven't heard from your sister or Blake. As easy as it would be to sneakily use the room, the worst case scenario of them two barging in drunkenly and catching us is highly possible," Weiss reasoned, the heiress' words not having their intended effect as Ruby's mood deflated. She couldn't count how many times she was woken from her slumber when the door would barge open, the older couple politely attempting to be quiet, but was deemed unsuccessful with their spirited behavior from that night's events still running high.

Weiss was quick to catch the leader before she fell too much, her lips gently pressing against hers with a hint of tongue happily lifting her spirits. "I got it. I was just thinking that if we couldn't have the date work out, then perhaps skipping to the end would be best. I don't need a glorious plan to have our anniversary love making to be special."

"In the back of my mind, I want to, but I'm actually thrilled for tomorrow. I've never been to Patch," the ice princess said as she cleared up their dishes."I know this isn't as exciting as it should be, but I trust you'll make tomorrow special and that's worth waiting for." Weiss departed, Ruby stunned at the elegance in her constraint to have a perfect anniversary. She remembered that her girlfriend was about perfection, waiting another twenty-four hours to make that happen a small price to pay once they set foot on Patch.

The couple retired to their room soon after, the leader finding her restraints and keeping it to second base. Hands roamed above the soft clothes, the duo agreeing to change into their nightwear when Yang and Blake would come back to the room. When the morning came, Ruby was surprised to see her and Weiss still in their clothes. She let out a large yawn, the leader always finding it hard to have a restful sleep on the field when she had to sleep in her attire. With ships to Patch happening too infrequently, the leader had to bounce Weiss out of bed quick, hastily packing for the trip back home and head down to a station.

It wasn't the ideal way she saw the anniversary starting off, but it was a good way too work up an appetite as they sprinted towards the ship. The leader thanked her lucky stars Weiss was not the typical helpless rich girl, a few more minutes lollygagging around would have cost them half the day. The two watched from the massive windows, the sprawling ocean a majesty in the late morning sun. With how hectic the start was, the leader forgot to make this day about them, the heiress tenderly taking her hand, giving a peck on the cheek before returning to the scene before them. "_Today is going to be the best day ever._"

The ship ride wasn't long, the couple in a taxi and on the road to the Xiao Long household as soon as they set foot to land. Weiss was all ears as she knew she couldn't stop from Ruby pointing out every little detail about her home island, the leader checking back to make sure the ice princess was having as much fun as she. "Where did you or Yang play when you were younger?"

"Far from here, you know, where we weren't supposed to be. A lot of where we could have fun is in open fields or playgrounds where we could pretend we were the heroes from our stories, me even taking my mom's white cloak and tying it around my neck and pretending I was her sidekick on a team." Like images in a photo book, she recalled all of the many misadventures with Yang. Every scrap, every bruise, and few close calls with Grimm along the perimeter was detailed to Weiss. With everything being a story so far, she was glad that her partner had a picture to frame them with.

The taxi was rounding the last corner to the woody neighborhood, the houses well spaced in comparison to Vale's cramped living. The little pale single-story crept up on the side, Ruby's eyes lighting up as the cab came to a stop. The heiress happily paid the driver and the two rolled their luggage to the door. The leader was slightly embarrassed about her dad's upkeep of the house, giving him a pass as he wasn't home as much as he would like either. The lawn was a shaggy healthy green, Taiyang at least keeping the sprinklers on when he was at Signal. The windows were were all shaded in by curtains, the leader wanting to surprise her dad while he was at his desk. Ruby stuffed her hand in the mailbox, the metal box clean for once, optimistic that her father or even Uncle Qrow would be around. As she got up to the rosy door, she searched her pockets, the leader's bouncy mood punctured as the most crucial item to entering a house she didn't have on her.

"Ruby?" the heiress inquiring. "Is something the matter?"

The cheery Weiss she'd pumped up on the ride over was sinking with her, Ruby too embarrassed to admit she dragged her to Patch to start their break by resolving an avoidable crisis. "Uhh... I... just can't find my key ring, is all."

"You mean this one?" the ice princess' tone becoming colder as she quickly deduced what was going on. "The one that only has four keys. My guess that none of which open your front door."

The leader knew she was cornered. "Yang always comes with me back home. Dad only ever had a single spare that used to be Mom's." The guilt of secrets left her only for the gut-wrenching ache of disappointment to replace it as Weiss' fingers pressed the bridge of her nose to center her annoyance. Ruby had to be quick, a couple desperate solutions to calm her girlfriend nervously propelled her forward. "There was no mail, so Dad might actually be home." The leader twitched on the button for the doorbell, hoping, by some miracle, that her father was home. "If not, I'll give him a call. He's got to be somewhere on the island."

There was an audible gasp of air, and, after a moment of awkward silence, a deafening scream.

*-Weiss-*

The door swung open, her eyes shrinking as her attention couldn't be ripped away from the scene in front of her. Yang leaned against the frame, her bushy mane disheveled, concealing her violet eyes behind the sweat-soaked mess. Her body was almost on full display as Blake's night robe clung to the bountiful curves of her girlfriend, the rope loosened enough to have a sleeve sling along her shoulder, revealing the entirety of her cleavage that she propped up with an arm straddling her chest. A crack in the nightwear gave a peek at a lacy purple tanga that the heiress knew was Blake's.

"Oh, thanks for coming so fast, pizza guy," a certain breathiness in her voice as the blonde was unaware of who she mistook a food delivery person for. "Us girls are starve..." Yang bashfully revealed her eyes as she brushed her hair from her face, Weiss astonished that she could ever match her sister's scarlet blush when she was embarrassed as the performance was interrupted. The heiress didn't know whether or not to stay quiet, but she couldn't voluntarily speak as the blonde's eyes darted between her sister and the heiress.

Like a flint and steel, it sparked an explosion. "AHHH!" the Xiao Long siblings screamed. Yang slammed the door quickly, Weiss hearing shouting from beyond the wall as the blonde ordered Blake to get some clothes on. Meanwhile, the heiress had to attend to a traumatically stricken Ruby, the leader's face buried in her hands, seemingly putting pressure to erase the memory of seeing Yang so indecent.

"I didn't see that. No. No. No. So gross." Ruby sat at the single step to the porch, muttering to herself that this was all a dream. Weiss took to her side, knowing a few pats on the shoulder weren't enough, but would have to do.

"I know this isn't as relatable as I would like it to, but Winter always slept in panties and a tank-top. I was forced to see her form every morning and it never got easier." With no response other than a few mumbled grunts into her knees, Weiss took to the more helpful option. "I'll stay quiet until you're ready."

The whining went on for minute or two, Ruby coming up from her knees to formally address her girlfriend. "I'm sorry, Weiss. This is starting off so poorly."

"I'm glad that you're thinking about me, but there's worse ways to start off an anniversary. If there's a silver lining to this, it's we know where the rest of Team RWBY was for the past day." The comforting words only lasted for a moment as Ruby's mind slipped back to the revolting visions and acts that happened with the arrival of a pimply-faced teenager holding two large 'Blake and Yang' specials.

"You girls order two larges with anchovies, mushrooms, and chicken?" the lad read off the receipt.

"Yes." Weiss whirled her wallet out and handed over more Lien needed for the delivery, the heiress shooing away the boy before pepping her girlfriend up for the inevitable. "Come on. Take the pizzas. It's going to be bad, but let's rip this off like bandage."

She reached for Ruby's hand, giving it a couple forceful tugs before she willingly got up. She took a deep breath upon entering. The sight before them was unnerving, the heiress now knowing what the dorm room would look like if rule number twenty-five: clean up thoroughly after using the room for private matters, wasn't in place. The floor was littered with clothing, the ice princess sure that one of Yang's panties were a ripped mess on the way to the kitchen. The counters were a sea of baking products, shot glasses, and bottles, Weiss wondering if these pizzas were also some part of hangover cure with the excess of liquor. Dark markings like veins decorated the walls along with many family portraits and accolades, palm prints of white and brown a giveaway as to what the baking ingredients were used for.

Weiss' body cringed at the scene, guessing correctly that her partner was having a worse time as she sat and collapsed her reddened bloom into her arms. "I'm sorry, Weiss."

"I told you, don't be sorry."

"She's right," a voice came from down the hall, catching the younger couple's attention. Yang was far better dressed upon her second greeting in a very large t-shirt and a pair of what was clearly Ruby's pajama bottoms with the amount of rose petals festooned in the pattern. The bedraggled mess of hair was not managed with the time allotted, the Faunus also sharing the same qualities in her usual nightwear as she sheepishly joined her girlfriend. "I'm sorry."

"We both are. We got your texts just now. We turned our scrolls off after we got out of the final and headed here," Blake explained.

"I'm not trying to make an excuse for this, but you didn't mention coming back home so... forget it," Yang giving up mending the situation with words and gathered both of the women in her massive embrace. "I'm sorry, girls."

Weiss had happened upon the room a few times to catch a whiff of sex which irritated her. Being buried just above Yang's bosom with Ruby's wriggling only pressed her face further into the soft mounds. "I'm fi-ne. I-I also can't breath," the leader's breathes barely getting the sentence out.

"It will be. Just let this happen, and it'll be over quick, and we'll be a team again," Yang remorsefully absolving her grievance with her ridiculous strength.

The younger couple was happy to be free, Weiss begging for a sweeter stench that was the sex-ridden kitchen, a smell she thought she would never crave. "Terrific, we're a team again. I feel so unbridled with joy," the heiress sarcastically let out.

"We're not done yet," Blake chimed in. "If you're staying here too, the house can't look like this. We'll confine it to our bedroom." The Faunus marched over to the opposite side of the island, uncovering a heavily wound plastic wrap of cookies, the heiress noticing Ruby's eyes drooling at the sight. "Your sister wanted to bake some of your mom's recipes with me, and I know it's cheap, but here's a token to make you less mad."

Ruby reached out, taking a suspicious bite of the treat one second and, in the next, devoured another two. "Good work, Yang. You nailed mom's cooking," she mumbled out, crumbs spewing from her mouth adding to the mess.

"That's practice becoming perfection from all the times we baked," Yang winked at her, the leader beaming a smile back.

The ice princess felt left out and, still annoyed, had to voice her irritation. "Ruby's easy to win over. I pull the cookie card every time I need a distraction to give me time to fix whatever I forgot."

"Oh, you're even easier," the blonde's sinister grin worrying her as she pinched the ends of her mouth. A piercing whistle erupted from her, the scream from earlier damaging their eardrums enough to not go deaf from the call. "Oh, Zwei," she sang in a victorious tone. "Come here, boy."

Weiss' fear was realized as she heard the jingling tags coming from the backyard, her cold stare moving toward the doggy door in the back. The gray dog pushed the flap open, this fluffy butt wiggling its way into the home coincided with a few affirmative barks to the one who called her. "Good boy, Zwei." Yang blithey praised the mutt as she ruffled and squished his face, the heiress' eyes glued to the hound as it was being fondled. The blonde scooped up Zwei and handled him over to Weiss, the ice princess reflexively receiving her furry gift as it panted and greeted her with wet kisses.

"Oh stop you..." the heiress nearly smothering the playful mutt as she pressed his face with hers. "Look at you, you fat little boy. You've gotten bigger since I've seen you. Yes you have. Such a cutie patootie."

The snow-haired girl couldn't register any emotion other than overwhelming joy as she was reunited, Ruby finding the sad irony of her reaction. "I wish you were this happy after I come in from the gym," the leader joked. With a hint of sarcasm detected, the heiress fired back.

"You would if you were not only as cute, but also weren't the reason I have to carry tissue around to clean your mouth after you dribble chocolate fudge sauce on you. Don't mind her, Zwei."

"Do mind her actually," Yang piped up. "Ruby, Blake and I have some serious cleaning to do for the final act to our apology. That and Dad said he'll be home later tonight. So, can you take Zwei out for a walk while Blake and I preform a miracle getting this house organized?"

"Not a problem. I'll go grab the leash and frisbee," the leader scampering off to a part of the house Weiss couldn't see. As the heiress was left with the other couple, a guilty presence was still floating around the air.

"I know cleaning isn't the most fun of activities, but you two don't have to be so morose about it," the ice princess sternly pointed out.

The other couple gave a quiet gaze to one another, Yang giving the nod to have Blake proceed. "Weiss, we're not proud of what happened, especially after we damaged yours and Ruby's anniversary gift," the Faunus confessed, pulling out a small frame from the inside of her robe.

"You girls got us something for ours," the blonde added to her girlfriend's explanation. "And we went fairly traditional when I found a picture on my scroll. It was from when we all first became partners. It may be stretching it as I'm sure you girls weren't together at the time, but Blake insisted that this chance of luck was better than rattling our brains trying to buy you something. We're sorry it's broken, but might as well show it to you now and see if we need to go shopping again."

It wasn't the first time that Weiss heard that excuse. What do you buy someone who can literally buy anything? Although it would have been paired with Ruby, she didn't trick herself into thinking Blake and Yang weren't considering her wealth. She took the casing, the polished silver ordained with an etched-in rose in the bottom-left corner. The glass was cracked, the epicenter losing most of its material, but gave a clear view to the focal point of the present.

Ruby had her arm around the heiress, squeezing her too tight around the waist, trapping her arms from protesting the close-quarters affection. Crescent Rose was overhanging from her shoulder, Myrtenaster joining with the length of the leader's weapon touching the rapier's tip. Weiss remembers that moment captured. It had been a few weeks after they brought Blake back into the fold, a small mission for first years was taken to give the girls a break from militias and focus more on Grimm. Both had a toothy grin in the photo, Weiss recalled being pleased with their flying scores, but that wasn't the reason she was happy in the still frame. She could never pinpoint the time she started having feelings for Ruby, mostly because she would dismiss any positively charged reaction for the leader as circumscription. But this moment, when she should be scowling and throwing Ruby off her, she freely smiled. That feeling of happiness that felt awkward then was absolved as it became clear to her now with how effortlessly she makes her feel that enduring impression of bliss. Weiss' eyes blurred, taking a deep breath to compose the delight of discovery.

"No, girls... it's beautiful. The glass may be smashed, but it's our love to a tee, brazen and not perfect, but a lot of love and laughter. And I wouldn't have it any other way." Weiss' emotions nicked the right nerve as a single tear escaped, Zwei happily lapping it up while still cuddled in her arms.

"Aww, Weiss," Yang contagiously catching the same intensity, reflexively caught Weiss in her grasp, wedging Zwei between the two women in her grip.

"I'll just appreciate the gratitude from over here, if that's alright with you," Blake said, the heiress reminded by the muffled bark that the Faunus wasn't too fond of the canine family member yet.

When Yang released her, and blood was allowed to circulate without restriction, Weiss had a proposal. "Take this back and wrap it. Maybe tonight or tomorrow we can all have dinner and you can give it to us then."

"I do know a great seafood place in town that I was planning to take Blake to. I'll expand the reservations if that's cool with you," Yang offered her own plan.

"Yeah. It sounds good," Weiss sobering up before Ruby came running down the hall with a leash and more than just a frisbee in her arms. As soon as the leader mentioned the word 'leash', Zwei was fighting to get out of Weiss' arms, the ice princess reluctantly letting him go lest he destroys her battle skirt. A few quick clicks later, Ruby was dragging Weiss by the hand as Zwei was leading them to venture Patch.

The air was dipping in the mid-afternoon sun, the ocean air just as chilly as the waters near Beacon. Weiss wasn't cold, but she knew Ruby was, swaddling herself as much as she could in her cloak as the leader walked close with the heiress' curves. Weiss has been to her family's private islands, beach houses, and some extraordinary resorts, but there was a certain quaintness to the island that charmed her, partially due to Ruby taking her to her favorite spots, only leading to the park her and Yang used to romp around in.

Weiss got full on the many small shops that served treats on their way to the park, making playing with Zwei a harder task than normal as she was filled to the brim with food. The dog was either too smart for his own good, or Ruby was a dog whisperer, as too many so-called 'accidents' happened on their date. The heiress found it chance that Zwei would lead them into a perfume shop where Ruby would purchase a few of her favorite scents for each of them to wear. Even let the coincidence slide when the well-behaved hound chased an invisible butterfly, wrapping the long leash around both women's legs until they were wound tighter than Oobleck with a couple espressos. Ruby's clumsiness seem to kick in at the right time as she pulled the heiress to the ground, the leader's giggle the clear indicator of this whimsical facade.

The heiress didn't do a quick-take to see if passersby were staring, not when she knew the leader was enjoying this a little too much with her facetiousness. She pecked the leader, laughter hard to control with the felicity flowing through her, the couple smiling into their kisses and teeth bumping into each other with zeal. The world was oblivious to them, Weiss brought out from a small yip from Zwei. In the pups mouth were two white roses, thorns seemingly not a problem as he held them by the prickly stems. The dog's expression coerced her to take them from his slobbery mouth, Weiss dethorning the roses and flicking the remains at her girlfriend, the heiress annoyingly amused by it all.

"And this completes a pattern." Weiss held up her safe flower as a challis of victory. "You can't fool me any longer, Ruby Rose. How did you plan this?"

"You're in my stomping grounds. You think I wouldn't have a cognitive map of my home town, purposely leading you up and down streets of stores I knew you'd like. And Zwei, he's a really good dog. You can train him to do about anything, good habits and bad."

Weiss thought she was the only one who can plan so efficiently on the fly, finding out that there are more resources than money that can forge a date so successful. She trucked Ruby off the grass, not wanting either to change because of grass stains before dinner. She didn't want to give in so easily either. That glint in Ruby's eyes of satisfaction and love shimmering as the ice princess kept her gaze. Not able look into them any longer, she played it coy and kept the leader vying for more affection.

The amount of toys Zwei had the heiress thinking this was a third kid Mr. Xiao Long never had. Ropes, balls, and a remote control airship were some of the items Ruby brought with her. She and Weiss were too far to have an actual conversation without yelling it to the rest of the world, the heiress content with keeping her thoughts to herself with the subject matter. "_Why does this feel like we're a family and Zwei is our furry, four-legged child? I like dogs, and am certainly enamored with Zwei, but let's never travel down that path where I start replacing animals for children. Still, this is quite nice. I'll never knock the luxuriousness of my upbringing, but this is Ruby's world and it's refreshing to be a part of._"

A vibration came from her scroll, Weiss multi-tasked as she looked at the new message for dinner time with Yang and another bothersome text from her father. The seething hate she had broke her concentration, the frisbee floating for a thump to her face. She collected herself, archiving the message for later to not bring back the scowl. "_I don't want to believe that my own family troubles are a force driving me to the Rose camp. I'm done with him puppeteering my life. It'll taint this happiness if his efforts are the reason I'm this blithe._"

Much to the actual sad puppy-dog eyes of Zwei, Ruby and Weiss had to call it a day, dinner reservations creeping up on them and a freshening up was in order. When entering the house, the unvarnished sparkle of extensive cleaning was evident, the heiress truly believing she could eat off the floor. A heavy chemical smell of lilac and lemon choked the air, Weiss wondering if Blake and Yang were conscious with how strong it loomed. "Impressive, but one could almost consider this overkill."

Ruby handed over part of her cloak to filter out the actinic stench. "Yang was always one to drain a can of air freshener if needed. At least it's clean."

"You mean completely sterilized," Yang shouted from the hall, her and Blake coming out of their room sporting alternate attire. With how immaculate the house was, she was sure that their clothes took a far lower priority. The two smoothed themselves out, the blonde pressing the wrinkles out of her tan jacket and her partner properly popping the collar on her white shirt. "Got too much experience racing to clean up before Mom and Dad got home with Ruby. You think what you saw was a mess, you never saw the catastrophes when she and I would be chasing each other around the house with food coating our hands."

The girls were running late, Weiss begrudgingly skipping a shower for promptness sake. As Ruby was about to call her dad, the man in question showed up, papers strewn from briefcases that were carelessly closed, the girls grabbing as much as they could as they followed the paper trail back to his den. The room was considerably less intimidating than her father's, a warm wood paneling was underneath them with painted red walls, the bookshelves enriched with text from his academy days and a few that Weiss was familiar with at Beacon. It was a simple office, non-threatening to anyone who'd enter.

The patriarch hunched over his desk, madly organizing his files, oblivious to the team that stood behind him. The leader was the first to break the uncomfortableness spreading through them. "Hey, Dad."

The man quickly turned, a guilty stare formed back at the girls as he tried to play off his inferior containment. "He-hey girls. Thank you for bringing those papers to me. I'm on too tight on time at the moment."

"So we can assume that you won't be joining us for dinner." Yang questioned, Weiss worried as uncertainty in the blonde's voice meant this was not normal behavior. The man collected the papers hurriedly, consolidating them in the briefcase which he securely shut.

"I'm sorry girls, Another time, but I got a last minute call that requires my immediate attention. I'll probably be back late so don't wait up for me," Taiyang said as he rushed out of the room, but not before giving kisses on the forehead to all the girls, Blake and Weiss giving a shrug as this was all unforeseen behavior to them.

"Umm, Ruby. Should we be concerned?" Weiss force breaking the tension.

"By the kiss, yes. He showers us with love when he knows he or one of us is going out on a mission. You got caught in the crossfire because something big got him worried," Ruby explained as she pulled out a piece of paper from her sleeve, the heiress impressed by her sly trick from their dad to keep this article. The rest of the girls were curious, hovering over the file. Weiss knew hiding the entire stack of papers would be impossible, but the only mention of a potential catastrophe was The White Fang.

"Without a here or what will happen it's hard to spring into action," Weiss angrily mumbled, re-scanning the file for something she could've missed.

"Then maybe this will help," the blonde added, slipping out her own sheet from her sleeve. When Yang presented it, a chill ran through the ice princess, one of the schematics of Signal's prototype weapons that were stolen on the night of the banquet printed and detailed.

"And maybe this will make sense," Blake chipped in, bringing out her scroll, a warehouse displayed and what were White Fang troops testing out the same weapons that were taken.

Weiss took the temperature around the room, all feeling the same gut-wrenching ulcer of duty calling upon them. Perchance forgetting sharing information for their own reasons. The heiress took a big gulp, knowing the rest of the night wasn't going to be the bang she expected. "_There is cruel irony to wish for an exciting anniversary and get called back to my thrilling obligations last minute._"


	37. Blake: Natural Selection

Another quick update. A Bumblebee pic is underway and it's looking great. Crossing fingers it's out before Valentine's day. But anther big thanks to everyone who reads, follows and favs. It's been two years since it began and it's been a journey to say the least. If I could give out awards to those who've been there since the beginning, I would. Anyways, let's wrap up and get warm with Bumblebee.

Blake: Natural Selection

The girls retired to Ruby's room, her desktop the main hub for consolidating all of the information at hand and finding the place where The White Fang would be. The Faunus took a seat at the leader's bed, hating herself for being so drunk that night to help figure this out. Ruby wouldn't be frantically typing at the keyboard, straining her eyes out to match details with the images on her scroll. Neither would Yang be getting the harshest of tongue lashings from the heiress.

"You are the biggest dunce in the world!" Weiss scolded, chipping through her teeth each syllable to vent her anger whilst hitting Yang with Ruby's throw pillow. The blonde could only take so much deserved abuse, catching the pillow on the downswing, standing up and towering over the ice princess. The girls' eyes locked, neither backing down, a fire ignited with the air so combustible.

"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" Yang shouted back. "We were drunk and happened to come across such a place! I'm not saying to forgive my lack of details after a few bevs, but some gratitude I expect from getting us something to go off of."

The heiress yanked the scroll form Ruby's desktop, expanding the screen to display, in humorously-large font, Yang's notes she took while drunk. "If you could write better than a chicken pecking its way through a keyboard, Ruby wouldn't be busting her neck trying to find this place."

"I need that back, by the way," the meeker sister carefully retrieving the scroll back lest the ice princess' anger be redirected towards her.

"The most legible thing I could find in that mess of scribbles is a sketch of what I assume to be Blake's butt with a title underneath that says 'yummy'," Weiss fired back.

"There's more than that and you know it. Also, I don't want to hear it after you two withheld that tiny, possibly most graphic detail of this which is the weapons. When were you going to let family in and tell me Signal was robbed, Ruby?" Yang shot past Weiss to the hunched over leader, gray eyes growing big from the guilt.

"Don't you be bugging her," Weiss stepping in front of the heat Yang was throwing. "When we stumbled upon the robbery, we asked your dad what we should do. I brought up the idea that no one outside the room should know about it because it could make his new appearance as headmaster look weak. He made the final decision and asked if we could work on it in secret. If we had your information sooner, we probably have all of this wrapped up and have staked a claim outside the rally."

"Oh, so we're back to this again. I told you our reasons..." Yang continued, the Faunus drowning out the voice as effectively as she does with a book in her hands. She was tired of this petty fighting, but she was angry at herself too. A lot of what both of them were debating were valid and she was equally as culpable as any of them. It's not what bothered her the most, though. Her liquored up state may have cost her a chance to meet Adam, seconds feeling like hours as she was praying for Ruby to jump up out of her chair and have an answer. She felt her stomach knot up, the stuffy atmosphere of the room not making it easier to calm herself, the Faunus stepping out to the kitchen for a drink.

The alcohol in the cabinets was tempting, Blake winding tighter at the thought of meeting Adam again, but controlled herself enough to slug down a couple glasses of water. After a few cooler breathes from the open room, she was able to have a conversation with herself. "_This could be it. This could be the night that I finally get him back for what he did to me. I almost want to control this rage, but it feels good to be this alive again, even if it's running borderline homicidal. I'll consider it a win if I'm able to get him into cuffs, but I shouldn't be prioritizing him if Roman and a couple others are present. I wouldn't be completely satisfied if Roman was still running about, but he is an illusive one. Is it wrong for me to just focus our efforts on him? The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one and my 'one' is me selfishly burying something from my past._"

Blake sat at the island, mulling around the questions until she felt a tap on her shoulder. The Faunus jumped out of her thoughts to see Yang, wearing a more warmhearted expression than the fire-spitting one she recalled. She didn't become aware the shouting had stopped as she was so lost in thought, the blonde quick to inquire about the Faunus' reclusiveness. "Hey, you feeling alright?"

"Better, but sort of having a moral issue if certain people are attending the rally," Blake confided.

"Lay it on me."

"Judging from what it could be, Roman and some higher ups will be there. We could change everything today if I don't focus all my energy on Adam. I want this to be the day I get my retribution for everything he put me through, but I feel guilty if I put forth my emotions for the better of Faunus-kind," Blake explained, it sounding less complex now that it was said, but no where near to picking an answer.

"Fight him," the blonde said, no hesitation in her response.

"Are you sure? Is everyone else fine with me being selfish on the mission?"

"I can't speak for the rest of them, but you have my blessing to find Adam and pummel him into the concrete." Yang repeatedly demonstrated by pounding her fist into her palm. "We'll handle the leftovers. We're a team, a barely functional one at the moment, but we're a team. Weiss understands revenge and I'm sure Ruby will let you do as you please since she's seen the gambit of emotions you've been hurdling through since your birthday. I see the vigor burning through you, Blake, and I don't want you second-guessing yourself this close to the finish line. Be selfish. Take down Adam."

The weights that were sinking her heart to her gut were unshackled at Yang's unbreakable position on the matter, the knot in her stomach getting some relief. She wanted to ask again, to make sure, but the determined stare in the lilac eyes conveyed more than hearing the answer for her own pleasure. "Thanks Yang. I was at a crossroads that I may have taken the wrong path on if you weren't here."

"You are very most welcome," the blonde replied, placing her hands securely around Blake's shoulders. "Now, I want to hear it from you. What are you going to do tonight?"

With new vindication in her, it took no effort to say, "I will fight Adam. I will not hesitate to use lethal force. I will not try at persuade him over. Those days are done. He's had his chances and I'm not giving him another one. You don't have to watch my back this time. I will win."

"That's what I like to hear. Still, I am your partner. I probably should keep an eye on you for responsibility sake," Yang pressing in and giving Blake a heavy kiss. With the voltaic energy coursing through her, it was hard to restrain her urges and put the squeeze on certain parts of the blonde's body, hands keeping it around her waist, pulling her in for a tighter embrace. From tempered breathing, Blake could tell Yang was also doing her best to not carry the Faunus back to her bed.

Her girlfriend pressed their foreheads together, black and yellow bangs meshing as Yang brought down the intensity of speaking her conviction. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this day. When I first saw him, I didn't know what to make of him. And though I've never had a conversation with him, I've been wanting to get at him after what he did to you. It surprises me how much volatile hate I could convoke from a person that I have had no connection with, and that scared me. Not because I was afraid I'd go berserk and kill him, but afraid that I'd pull you along with it."

"How do you mean?" Blake hushly asked.

"This is not something I should've rushed you through and I was guilty on a couple accounts for doing that very thing. Whether those times were a fluke aren't my decision to weigh in on. Seeing you now, this vibrant and driven, puts a lot of me at ease. And that's saying something considering we're about to run head first into a White Fang base."

Blake smirked more than the average person, enjoying the humor only a huntress could understand as Yang laid it out. "Yeah... I appreciate it. I'm glad you're the one that's been telling me to slow down. Anyone else wouldn't have been strong enough to keep me from fleeing this like every other problem."

"You know my past, Blake. I'm not one to abandon... Besides, what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't keep to that promise I made to you when we got together," the blonde said, nuzzling herself with their hair.

"Aside from the obvious answer, I would be a woman scorn and I assure you my scorning would be like wrath you've never seen," the Faunus threatened, levity in her tone as she joked with an impossibility in her heart.

"I'd say that's more incentive to never upset you, but I don't need anymore motivation to be with you and make you happy... and infuriate you when my cheekiness flares." Yang demonstrated her gall by cupping the Faunus' face tight, digging her thumbs into her dimples, rising out cheerful chuckles.

As the couple reveled in their faithful fervor, a hard cough came from the hallway. Ruby's face had a seasoned flush easily seen behind the gossamer static of Yang's scroll with the heiress stood arms crossed, polite enough to have her head turned to give the couple some privacy. "I think we have the where and when," the leader sheepishly spoke up, turning the screen to a place that looked too familiar to the couple.

"Alright then. Girls, let's get going," Yang authoritatively rallied, releasing her from a loving embrace, Blake impressed as everyone's attitude quickly switched to prepare for the battle. Everyone brought out their scrolls, typing in the code for their lockers in their apps, awaiting for the blue flame on the horizon.

"I didn't think this anniversary would turn out like this?" Weiss pouted, Ruby sulking with her.

"Well, at least we can't say this wasn't lively. Talk about something we couldn't plan even if we tried. There is a silver lining for me at least. I really wanted to incorporate Crescent Rose and Myrtenaster for a friendly sparing match with each other's weapons," the leader added, Weiss' frown half-turning upside down as her mouth curved to a smile, her frown still bound to her brow. Blake couldn't blame her, the dismal feeling of calling the lockers hovering like a rain cloud over them.

Clouds carpeted the sky, the evening chill fighting against her aura as the temperatures were dipping. Blake hugged herself, about to rub her hands up and down her arms to generate heat before Yang stepped over, her golden aura pulsing warmth through her body. "Thanks."

"I'm quick to that button, especially on Patch. Islands are lovely during the day, but the chilly temperatures during winter and that ocean current people forget. Ruby would..." The blonde's explanation cut off as her sister got underneath her other arm. "...would sneak into bed with me on especially cold nights."

Blake was happy to see the team mending itself, although she knew a screaming match in her household had to be something Ruby heard before. Taken by surprise was the heiress' reaction, taking a place next to her girlfriend, also bathing in the sweet glow. The team rubbernecked and gawked at the unexpected action, Weiss feeling the eager stares, giving in and responding. "I didn't want to be left out. We're a team."

Yang reached over a little further, the ice princess not out of reach before the blonde was able to wrangle her in, bringing the entire team in her arm orbit. "Yeah... go Team RWBY."

"Could you actually let me go? You're overheating me. I don't get cold with such moderate temperatures."

The rest of the them laughed at the jovial gripe from Weiss. Blake shared the same rejoicing feeling that the fight didn't hold any grudges. "I hope you haven't been sending Dad any of the information we know just yet. You know how he gets when we mention our battle achievements," Yang told Ruby, whose thumbs were working overtime as she was typing it out.

"I'm not. The last thing we need is meeting him there and getting a ten minute lecture of letting the adults handle it and how this mission is way too over our heads for second years. I'm prepping it because once we get there, I doubt I'll have type to even type 'help' if we need it," Ruby reassured.

The humming of the jets beneath the lockers was heard as they were entering the island premises, the heavy, metal objects colliding into the yard in front of them, the Xiao Long sisters letting out a massive groan as the lawn had been uprooted by crash landings. "I really wish they figured a parachute to it. Dad will get super mad when he comes home to this," the leader mentioned.

"I agree," the ice princess further commented. "I had to buy a special casing for my dust. The first time I called it, it jarred my vials enough to crack one, it shattering in my hands. I wouldn't want to imagine the series of explosions once the dusts fused."

"It's an emergency setting," Blake continued. "How many times have we been sweating, looking towards the sky after we called it, and that sweet relief once it crashed? I'll be beyond mad if I had to wait for it gently float down when I can feel a Beowolf's breath on my neck."

"Good point," Yang added to the reply. "Lesser of two evils I suppose." Team RWBY saddled up for the infiltration, taking everything they usually take for battles minus sleeping bags. Blake popped open Gambol Shroud, everything oiled up and sharp, almost as if the weapon was also waiting for this day. With everything neatly tucked away, the heiress called in her most personal of servants for an airship immediately. The girls traveled to a very secluded part of the beach, the local girls finding it big enough for a ship to land and have them take off with ease.

The airship dropped them at the top of one of the Schnee's skyscrapers, the team finding the drop-off a good place to start their hunt as the sun was setting. Ruby followed the directions of her scroll to the familiar warehouse the couple discovered a few nights ago. Blake and Yang directed the other two to the watcher's nest they made that night, not that they needed a high vantage point. There were more suspicious trucks and foot traffic around the base than Beacon during prom. Crates were loaded onto the trucks, Blake simmering off her anger. As much as her eyes were darting back and forth for the spiky-red tips, she also knew fighting with as much rage inside her will cause a misstep, and possibly defeat.

As soon at the trucks were loaded, it was a nice leisure stalking to the destination, the rest of the team having to take tips from a professional as subtlety was none of their fortes. After a hop, skip, and a jump away, they were in the heart of the industrial district. When the building came upon the couple, their mouths formed little o's, the drunken haze much clearer as the warehouse they came upon was the one they saw at the beginning of the semester.

"More responsible drinking in the future," the blonde suggested.

"Agreed," the Faunus reflexively responded as she scanned the roof. "We'll wait here for the time being. Make sure that those four patrolling the corners are the only ones that will show up."

The team sat tight, the lofting moon absent as clouds dotted the horizon. Blake was hyper-focused, but wasn't neglectful of her changing surroundings. A chill hit her as the first snowflake hit the tip of her nose, a light snowfall cascading the city as the minutes passed. She watched as the Faunus came seemingly out of the woodwork. Shady characters walked in, no doubt getting passed out that Grimm mask calling card before they enter lest the police find them. Blake was no authority, not wanting to handcuff and put away a lot of lost brethren. She called it sooner than she wanted to limit any casualties, having the team take out the guards with a few simple maneuvers.

She hovered over the sky light, the Faunus bearing her teeth as she saw that the master of ceremonies was already entertaining the masses. "Welcome. Welcome all of you who have the nerve, the rancor, or the chutzpah, if you will, to stand here today in solidarity."

The Faunus crowd erupted, Blake wondering if she was that susceptible when the organization was shifting, eating up whatever the man in the bowler hat was spewing. "All of you are here because you demand change. And you've been shouting for change for a long time and everyone has ignored you, except us. The White Fang has been continuously trying to get the rights Faunus deserve. Integration within the city, fair wages, equal opportunity for employment. All of these sound like dreams that some of the Faunus forgot. But you, here today, you believe that that day is coming. I'm here to tell you, it's today. Today is the day we've been waiting for!"

The crowd hailed the charlatan, Faunus reveling in the lies and false promises. "Today, you are now members of The White Fang. Your membership fee is your loyalty and you first mission is we take march on the people who continue to put you down. The ones who abuse your second-right citizenship to its extent to the point of slavery and profit exponentially from your blood-soaked labor." Roman continuously stirred the pot as he unwrapped the sheet on a box next to him. A couple of White Fang personnel came out with crowbars, unhinging the crate to reveal the weapon prototypes from Signal.

"These are weapons that utilize dust at its most potent state and amplifies the devastation ten fold. These very same weapons are the ones you will wield as we march across town and take down the Schnee Dust Company Headquarters!" Roman shouted, a haughty breath of air escaped Weiss, an inferno stoked as she marked Roman with a death stare.

With the assembly of hooligans drooling at the idea of rioting, some probably more interested in the looting in the aftermath of chaos, they eagerly lined up to grab their guns. The White Fang staff were getting ready, all of them setting up, even the higher-ups. As soon as his red hair came into view, Blake couldn't wait any longer. She looked over to the rest of the team, all giving their approval. Yang was the first to jump in, the rest following as the descended on the gathering.

"Sorry to break up this bash, but this blowout sale for anarchy ends now." Yang taking aim to the smaller multi-colored assistant of Roman. "Ruby, Weiss, get rid of the weapons."

Blake didn't need an order from Yang, the Faunus already in pursuit of an unarmed Adam. The hallways were winding, not giving the Faunus many clean shots of the man as his quickness served him well. Lockers and boxes were thrown to the ground, giving her more obstacles to angle around, but was caught off guard by an explosion of blue dust. She lost her footing as the linoleum slickened with an icy coat, Blake digging her weapon into the ground to stop her from plunging herself at the end of an icicle. The heavy mist irritated her lungs, her vision impaired as she lost Adam. Her element of surprise was wasted, he now having the upper hand. She tread lightly, Gambol Shroud extended and kept close to her chest.

The crashing and explosions from the fighting behind her covered the footsteps rushing to the side of her, Blake too slow to react as boots slammed into her sides, her body flying through a window into the bay area. The Faunus picked herself up, brushing the trill of blood off of her cheek and waiting for her opponent to show himself. Gunfire flashed first, Blake dancing around the bullets. A black figure rushed her, the woman blocking and holding her ground as she met his stare behind the mask.

"I knew there was an uneasy feeling about tonight," he gritted though his teeth. "We can't keep meeting like this. At some point, it will be legal to take action for stalking."

"I won't need to stalk you once I put you away. I'll always know where you are if you're sitting in solitary."

Blake mustered all her strength to overtake his blade, her efforts equally matched as Adam wasn't holding back either. She couldn't see past the mask, but the stance in his attacks said more than a furrowed brow and a killer's stare. She didn't want this to end in a bloody mess, but reading Adam's body made her believe that he wasn't on the same page.

"Isn't this the part where you beg for me to leave or scream some line about how I'm wrong," he condescendingly talked down to her.

"Probably, but you're no different from those lackeys in black. All you have is a better weapon and Roman pats you on the head for being a good boy for doing your job," she snarled.

"Like eliminating huntresses who are barging in outnumbered and outclassed in a White Fang base."

"Sure. Just like I'm here to stop anarchists from unleashing a rioting spree across the city for personal gain," Blake quipped back. "We're past the point of discussion. I'll take your advice for once and save my breath."

"Good. Then maybe you can channel that energy and beat me this time."

"Be careful what you wish for," Blake definitely declared as Gambol Shroud's blade retracted, her sheath protecting her as she fired from the hip and into his thigh. The bullet dug deep into the tissue, her ex dumbfounded as his own tactics was used against him. Other than the blow to his ego, he seemed to shrug off the wound, winding his stance with Wilt. Blake followed and waited for him to make the first mistake.

Adam blitzed his attack, Blake's blades colliding with his as the fight raged on, sparks flying with each clash of the metal. The Faunus noticed the lack of offense from his hilt, Blake taking advantage and keeping her distance. She fired a few more rounds at him, the man not deterred as the noticeabe pang from a deflected projectile was directed away. One of the stray bullets was flung to a crate being suspended by a crane, the Faunus loosening her ribbons and fastening them to a sickled Gambol Shroud.

After shoving him away from another parry, she flung her weapon to the apex of the chains, ripping them from their buckles. She knew Adam wouldn't be fooled by a box slowly descending to the ground, but gave her an opportunity to change out her magazine, replacing it with special dust ammo from the ice princess. It was risky, but she knew Adam without a weapon was an easier Adam to fight, she had to make it look convincing.

She laxed her skill, playing the defensive to gain a bit more battle damage. Blake having this kind of upper-hand was new to her, now Adam the predictable one as she was letting slight damage to her wears come with ease. The blade wasn't any less sharp or excruciating to endure, but it was worth it for her plan. After a quick riposte, she fell to one knee. Part of her acting, but the other part also hating his cockiness as Wilt took a sharp hit to her shin. Adam whipped his blade, cleaning the steel from the line of Blake's blood that stained the tip. Her ex stood confident, just where she wanted him.

Adam continued his assault, Blake not blinking as she felt the steel hit her hair on the downswing. She pulled the trigger, herself now on the opposite side of the man and his weapon, now embedded in the icy shoulder of her semblance copy. A couple tugs was all she had time for to free his weapon before resorting to his fists, his right arm falling to the same trick from his desperate tactics. Blake's semblance appeared in front of him, pointing Gambol Shroud to his feet, firing a couple of ice shackles to pin him to the ground. A quick transforming brought it back to its sickle form, Blake aiming for his knee, rending his leg useless with a hard flick with her ribbons.

Adam split her Faunus ears as his ligament was shredded, the man mostly held up by the ice copies as his leg went limp. Blake knew he wasn't going anywhere, but even a part of her didn't want to let him out of her sights for a second for fear he escape. The blasts behind her was a calling card that her team might need her, and with Adam writhing in pain, blood soaking the ground around him, she felt it felicitous to depart. Cries of agony and pathetic begging could be heard down the halls as she headed to the others.

*-Yang-*

Yang wasn't on a revenge mission for anyone in particular, everyone in The White Fang a target for the crimes they commit. It didn't matter if it was the chainsaw-wielding psychopath that Weiss chose, nor the woman in the black suit and masquerade mask that Ruby was sparing with. Roman was a leftover after the initial engagement settled down, her eyes meeting his when the dust settled. The blonde didn't hesitate, rushing the cocky bastard as he stood with his arms crossed, smirking as if he already knew the battle was decided. When Ember Celica discharged a shell, the glass shattered, the apparition crashing around her. Yang's levelheadedness of battle melted away as a fury was ignited within her, the little pink-and-brown haired woman wearing the same smirk as her fake Roman behind it all.

The blonde was never going to admit to anyone her secret rivalry with the mute woman, but landing a punch on her was near impossible. She would have hoped that more training would have made her faster and help her connect more often, but it might as well be a well-choreographed dance at a ballot. Neo was always half a second quicker. The more she felt like she was being toyed with, the woman ignoring most of her room to counter, had the rage seething to the surface. "Why can't I hit you!?"

Neo curled her index, beckoning her to come fight her more, popping her parasol as she whimsically trotted around the blonde. Yang was not to be made a fool anymore, charging the woman with all that she had. Ember Celica's blasts weren't connecting, Neo using the parasol to keep her just out of close-quarter combat. The only times she'd let the brawler in was to use the hooked end to trip her up and toss her into a crate. Either she was getting tired, or Roman's evac was here, Neo hooking Yang's neck to pull her in for a punch to the throat. She felt the guttural urge to puke, dry heaving as the air was knocked out of her. She stumbled, still keeping to her feet with arms outstretched to keep her balance. Hunched over, she was eye level with Neo, her smirk growing wider as she unsheathed the blade hidden in the umbrella.

Many quick flashes flared around her, the dizzying display of Blake's semblance activating around Neo. The blonde reveled in the irony that the mute girl couldn't scream for help, but her eyes said more than any call for arms. Blake appeared next to her, Yang not happy with the blood and dirt coating her face, but wounded was better than dead. The Faunus nodded, giving a hard tug on her ribbons as the blonde unleashed a flurry of fists into Neo. Some blows were harder than most, the loosening ribbons giving her room to stumble away only for Blake to play with her prey and Yang strike again.

The ribbons snapped with a strong finisher, Yang satisfied with her payback, but she needed to be behind bars. The blonde stomped over to Neo, the first time seeing fear in her eyes made her hungrier for the kill. Steps before making her eat concrete, white enveloped her vision, a hard slap and a kick to her side sent her back into more crates. When her eyes opened, Blake was by her side, picking her up as fast as she could as Roman was doing the same. "Are you alright? Take to the roof. Notify me when you see the ship," the man giving a belittling pat to the multi-colored head before she sped off.

"Blake, follow her. I'll take him this time."

"Are you sure? In the shape we're in, both of us could take him on and lose, but at least we'd have a chance."

"Yes... I want him. Going to make him know he shouldn't mess with Xiao Longs." Yang spitting out blood as she took a spot before him, the Faunus giving chase to Neo as told. She could only make contact with his one uncovered eye, but his pompous gaze darting back only made her more furious that he's assembled enough talented mercenaries to have him sit back and watch since the brawling broke out.

Yang heard the whirling sound of a gun readying to discharge, her stare distracted as she saw one of the Faunus from the rally aiming the gun at her. Before the flash of the blast, a familiar sickle and ribbon hooked around the gun, the man almost yanked with it as Blake was watching over her in a blown out skylight.

"Your father was developing some interesting weapons over there at Signal," Roman arrogantly said, clearly too proud of his acquisition.

"Why my dad? Why the Schnees? Well, I kind of get the Schnees," the blonde admitted.

"It's nothing against you personally." Roman pointed his cane at her, Yang dodging his cannon blasts and closing to gap so that wouldn't happen again. "Word on the street was Signal is developing something revolutionary. These guns were a catalyst to something bigger that I'll have my team work on. As for the Schnee Dust Company, it was more than just a major procurement of dust and weapons with little to no effort on The White Fang's part. Rival dust companies want their stocks to balance out and promised money to the highest bidder that will take the responsibility of dethroning the Schnee king."

"Glad to see that all of this time scheming wasn't to cause a riot and destroy one of the kingdoms of Remnant. You're not such a bad guy after all," Yang chipped through her teeth, throwing punches, strewing empty shells along the ground. Neo's attacks all seemed to hit the right pockets, Roman clearly training her as he lashed his cane behind both of her knees. She fell again, Roman clotheslining her and tossing her body like a food wrapper onto the podium. Tired of losing her breath every time she seemed to get hit, she kept her hands on the defensive, Roman not letting up.

"Oh, I am. You huntsmen and huntresses have been pretty vigilant nowadays, plugging a lot of my income flows. Revolutions cost money and there's a lot of it in corporate espionage."

"This isn't a revolution. You're taking advantage of innocent Faunus." Yang feeling the rage seethe into her eyes with each hit dealt to her. "You stand behind this noble cause for whatever you seek to gain from toppling the kingdoms. The Faunus are a respectable race and you continue to be the wolf pulling the wool over these people whom desperately want an answer. You're leading them to slaughter by arming them."

"Please, little girl. You don't understand the half of it." Roman slid in-and-out of Ember Celica's bursts, the man directing Yang's fists with persuasive parrying from his cane. A swift movement had the hook under her weapon, dragging her to the ground only to be met first by his knee. Lightheaded from the blow, she centered herself, her eyes growing redder as the fire rose.

"Maybe I don't need to understand all of it, but from what I can comprehend is that ever since The White Fang became more aggressive, you've only made the tension worse. What half I don't understand, feel free to educate me," she roared as the added fiery fury backed Roman into a wall. His aura wasn't strong enough to not be effected by two hits to the torso, the cement wall and cane holding him up more than his legs. Yang was done playing around, the blonde furious as she narrowly missed the man and left a head-sized hole when punched at his scared face. He was a step ahead, firing at a crate above them to escape the fire.

Yang was happy to see bruises on him, but discouraged as his mouth was still able to move. "But stopping me is part of my plan too."

The blonde's heart skipped, hoping the tinnitus made her hear wrong. "What are you talking about?"

"You didn't think I wouldn't anticipate you meddling kids. You love to show up when you're not wanted, so I made it easier this time to make sure you would. Raiding the Schnee Dust Company was supposed to happen on a beautiful happenstance that everything goes according to plan, so I made sure to stick to plan B this time."

Yang was brought back to the many tags across the city that Blake pointed out, her knowledge of former White Fang practices inclining them to an event coming up. A loathsome feeling hit her, the one she shudders at when she realized she willingly walked into a trap, Roman's earlier comment of rushing into things stinking more as his bruise and dust ridden face held a growing smirk. "What were you going to do with us?"

"I'm glad you asked that, because I wanted to take this time to explain my evil plan." Roman quick-drew his cane. Yang a split second away from being extinguished, her natural reaction to block her face saving her, Ember Celica taking most of the damage with some spillover of intense heat on her knuckles. Before she had time to react, Roman slide kicked her, whipping his cane around her waist and tossing her into a support beam. "Look around you. What do you see?"

Yang only listened because getting herself off the ground proved harder with such a hit to the back of the head. There were Faunus from the rally, either fighting with the weapons or terrified, hiding as best they could, peeking out of cover to see if they could flee unscathed as the battle's collateral destruction could have put any one of them in hospital. "The look on your face means you get it. They see huntresses fighting against them, fighting to keep them in their place. I look like a martyr."

Her fists were breaking blood vessels in her hands as she saw what was unfurling. The damage was already done, but he wasn't going to have the smug satisfaction of getting away with it that easy. She joined him back on the stand, her anger fueling the blows as Roman couldn't keep up when her semblance at full heat. A solid hit to the face staggered him, his hair flipping revealing another eye that will gracefully conceal a newly-forming black eye. Yang wanted him to hurt. If she was going to be the villain, she was going to shed her hero persona and punish him before a trial.

As she was rushing him for another flurry of fists, a black figure caught her peripheral. Her girlfriend was bested by the annoying, short menace and was pushed out of the skylight. The hero armor wasn't cast off yet, the blonde's semblance dying down, rushing past Roman, arms extended to catch Blake. What she thought was random flailing, was the Faunus adjusting herself midair, Blake landing gracefully in her boots. She watched as she dusted herself off and readjust her bow, the flickering cat ears having Yang groan at her foolish heart.

"You land on your feet every time, don't you?"

"Yeah. Pretty much."

The blonde turned around to see the reviled man getting lifted by a ladder leaving their field of vision. Blake transformed Gambol Shroud to its gun form, firing the last of her ammo at him, some pleasure being had as he slid down a rung as his foot was surrounded by an ice block. "I hate myself."

"Don't," Blake taking her thumb, giving it a liberal lick, and smudging off caked on dust powder. "I appreciate the effort and I don't just mean you trying to catch me."

Yang's smile grew big as it hit her. "So, I take it that Adam is subdued somewhere."

"Yes. I could hear him howling in pain as I was fighting Neo. Even if he were to escape my trap, there's enough blood on the floor that he wouldn't get too far without passing out. We best go collect him. I do feel bad for taking that extreme measure to keep him in one spot."

The blonde nodded, turning away to follow Blake only to be stopped and turned around by her. She took notice to the crowd, at least what could be considered a crowd with the handful of Faunus that were lingering in the aftermath. They stared in a puzzled fashion, Yang and Blake equally as bewildered with all eyes on them. The blonde didn't notice her partner slick behind her, nudging her forward.

"What are you doing?" Yang hissed.

"Talk to them. It hit me too. This is the first time they saw two humans fighting over Faunus rights. I don't know what you said to Roman, but clearly you caught their attention. Just like I was when I was in their position, they're scared, and without Roman to mislead them, maybe you can straighten them out," Blake explained, giving Yang another push in the spotlight as she stood in front of what was left of the rally.

She felt a lump in her throat and her mouth dry with the sudden public attention. Yang is the outgoing one, never afraid to make a stranger a friend when she was alone, but idle conversation to kill time was different than inspiring a collective broken spirit of people. "He-hey everyone. Talk about blowing the roof off this joint."

Crickets wouldn't even giver her the courtesy sound off of a bad pun when no one in the audience was biting at the joke. Nervous laughs escaped her, also feeling the heat come from Blake as daggers bore in the back of her head. She figured she couldn't perform any worse, clearing her throat and starting again. "So-sorry. Too soon, I suppose. Look, everybody, we're all looking for answers, you know. Yes, even me, as a human, am searching for an answer and Roman wants you to believe that he's like me and my team. We all want to be treated with equality and respect and find where we belong in society, but... sometimes we want these rights so badly that we... believe just about anything. I can't understand your frustration, and I wont pretend to, but answering a call to arms will only lead to another Faunus war and Roman will benefit from the chaos and loss from both sides if that happens. You have no reason to trust me, but please take my advice with more than a grain of salt. To sweeten the pot, the police are on their way and we'll keep your identities a secret. Even you, antlers."

The identified Faunus didn't have a right to be mad, taking heed and mildly jogging out of the blown out warehouse. The rest followed, a murmuring cacophony could be heard. Yang didn't know what they were talking about, but her girlfriend heard it with her ears, a congratulatory kiss placed on her cheek giving her the all clear that she steered them out of Roman's pitfall.

"They're confused, but content. You did pretty well for an impromptu speech."

"Well, anything is better than them gathering their fire and pitchforks and chasing down huntsmen." Yang turned to see a chipper Faunus, the blonde offering her own kiss, the blood and dust not deterring her as she captured Blake's lips. "I'm sure Dad and the police will be here soon. I'm sure you wouldn't mind personally slamming the door on Adam and watching the ship speed away,"

Yang was led down a maze of hallways before happening upon the man who poisoned the well of their happy relationship. The loud grunts that echoed down the building was from him almost pulling his leg out of his socket, the desolate hopelessness clear as it looked as if chewing his legs off to get free was becoming a viable option. It was hard to tell with the slight melting, but the blonde figured it was a potent mixture of Blake's semblance and Weiss' dust that trapped him in his icy restraints, Yang fooled once by the Faunus' cheeky behavior and lured into a kiss. Soft lips became frozen as Blake stuck her face with a cold copy with a flick of her semblance.

The pooling blood around him was drying, the lower half of his pant leg soaking a lot of the mess. Blake took an active measure and untied her black end skirt and pressurized the wound. After a time, Adam stopped fighting the nursing gesture, either too weak or letting the last of his pride to the side as he accepted the Faunus' help. Yang stood behind him, not trusting his two free arms from grabbing at Blake and forcing a hostage negotiation.

Through the stilled air, he spoke, "Stop it. Having you doctor me like this makes me feel a prisoner of war. I've already been defeated. Don't make me feel more shame than I'm already feeling."

"Would you rather I drag you by the ear on one good leg to the police ship? Besides, I'm not just doing this for you. I don't trust you being in the hospital alone. I can easily see you tricking some naïve nurse into bringing you something sharp enough for you to diligently free yourself."

He gave a rough chuckle, Yang guessing he is as crafty as Blake assumes. "And to think you were doing it out of some long-lingering feelings for me. I forgot how calculated you were. Always avoiding the route less traveled."

Blake didn't take kindly to the comment, vice gripping his leg and giving a twist, garbled agony breaking out from Adam. "Never think that romantic feelings for you exist anymore. This is a courtesy to the friends we once were. Be thankful to the person behind you. Without her bigheartedness, I probably wouldn't have been reminded of my huntress duties and aimed that sickle at your throat."

Yang came from around his back, placing a firm hand on her shoulder, freely spreading a conceited smirk as she met eye-to-eye with Adam. Behind his hollow eyes, he wasn't sharing the same gaze. "That's not the only thing big about her."

She wished she was able to bask in that moment forever, the remark flipping her attitude and gave the most reflexive punch she's ever had to a comment, cracking the Grimm mask to pieces that splintered off and joined his blood.

"Please don't hit the unarmed man anymore," Blake scolded Yang, but the tone in her voice was pleased with her reaction.

"So long he doesn't say another rude comment, he'll be safe."

"Don't count on it. As hard at that was, I'm still conscious," Adam brave and half-witted enough to taunt the blonde more.

"Then pretend to be unconscious. I have plenty more pent up angst for you." Yang found it absurd to put this much of a front to a man who couldn't throw a punch back, but felt great to crack her knuckles in anticipation he get mouthy.

"I'm done being hit if that's alright with you." The silence took over again as Blake was finishing up her cleaning, finding that his strong aura would heal him proper in a week or two in his individual cell. "Thank you..." he muttered out, but enough for both of them to hear. "If we were to break up, I always knew there would be a better man that she'd end up with. Didn't think that it would come in the form of a woman, though."

"I wish you were as optimistic about the future of Faunus as you were about her," Yang fired back. "I wouldn't have had to endure the last semester if you wised up and saw Roman for what he's doing."

"I do know what he's doing. And it's because it will work is the reason I stayed. Today was the first step, a misstep in same aspects, but it will pay off." The threat Roman made loomed back into her mind, the blonde wondering if he really is that many steps ahead of them or his charisma was able to blind someone as intelligent as Adam. There was no use interrogating him, the couple choosing to leave it to the professionals and hand him over to the police who were arriving on the scene. Yang broke the ice around him, each taking an arm and carrying him out to the front.

A series of flashing blue-and-red lights were shimmering from the battalion of cars. Luckily, Ruby was brighter and louder than any ruckus happening around them, Yang spotting the red cloak and the heiress next to her, the leader busy overly-detailing the events to their Dad as he was going pale in the face. The heiress caught a glimpse of the other two, content to see them both alive. Before joining the others, they had a chore to finish. Blake handed Adam over to an officer who was booking a lot other White Fang personnel, the man over-hearing all the testimonials, then he slapped cuffs on him, and slammed the door after the ship rang no vacancy. The engines started and carried the ship over the buildings, Yang gratified that the last image of Adam was him slumped over in his seat, powerless, and in the next instant, gone.

Yang and Blake joined the others, catching Ruby at the tail end of her recanting of how her fight went down. "And then she was able to pin me and sweep Crescent Rose away from my hand and without my weapon, I'm not super useful, but then, as I think it's over, Weiss bolts over and pushes her off of me. We were both pretty fatigued, but it seems they were called away and our opponents vanished as soon as their ship showed up."

A man next to Taiyang was furiously scribbling down notes while the father was fanning the fear out of him with the climax of the story over. "Good thing for happy endings. Thank you, thank you so much Weiss," the patriarch reaching over and endearingly cupping the heiress' hands.

"Not a-a problem. It's what partner's do," she responded, the shake in her voice cute as Yang saw the admiration with their dad. Her father looked over to this eldest daughter, eyes growing bigger and rivaling Weiss in paleness as the last of his blood left his face, leaving him a ghost.

"We'll skip story time with you, Dad. Already had a long chat with the cop who booked the guy we caught. An added highlight is Blake was there to save my hide a couple times," the blonde reassured, having Taiyang double-take of his daughter's girlfriends. He reached over for Blake, almost dragging her and enveloping Weiss and her in a massive embrace.

"You two are family. Thank you, for looking after my girls," he proudly said, Weiss and Blake probably fond of the sentiment, but not the power behind it.

"Thank... you, Sir," Weiss struggled to breath out. Blake concurred, unable to speak her welcome.

He released them and bid his adieu, an operation this scale would need a lot of help cleaning up. He released the girls, telling them they earned a well-deserved rest. Weiss called for her personal ship, all of them wanting to go back to Patch as soon as possible. Yang was always amazed at how her connections and wealth could produce results, the girls on the front lawn within minutes. The blonde tripped over the dirt ditches the lockers left, too tired to care about the front yard disaster.

After unlocking the door, her body stumbled for the nearest comfortable object, slamming herself on the living room couch, her body sinking into the luxurious leather. Not far after, the familiar curves of her Faunus curled against her, capturing her close to make sure her body pillow wouldn't move in the night. Following the Faunus, another body hit the couch, alarming the blonde as it was also bundling itself into her. Yang peeped an eye to see her little sister regressing to an old habit she hadn't done since before Beacon. Yang was snug, placing her arms around them.

"Ruby," the tone of the heiress wanting to fight, but her body not letting her, "let's go to bed. Couches are not a comparable substitute for your memory foam."

"Just a five minute nap. I don't even have the energy to get out of my clothes."

Weiss wouldn't take that answer, yanking on Ruby's arm to try and lift her up, only for the leader to pull back and the heiress submitting to the request. "Fine, five minutes."

The heiress' rule was quickly broken after a bat of an eye, Weiss nestled into her girlfriend and the rest of Team RWBY. Yang decided to be a risk-taker and extend her reach to Weiss, bringing in all the girls under her orbit.

That warm feeling of bridging the team back together lit the fire under her for a little bit longer, the blonde finding it hard to fall asleep again fetched the remote on the other side of Blake and watch late-night infomercials. The high-energy programming she was finding amusing in the twilight of that period of awake and asleep, wondering how many imaginary problems these salesmen can create.

"Are you awake?" a gentle voice coming from her lover's side.

"Yeah, Blake. Do you need me to turn down the volume?"

"No, that's not what woke me up. I couldn't tell if I was dreaming, but it felt real and that's what matters."

"It can't be that embarrassing."

"It can," the Faunus momentarily pausing, leaving Yang in anticipation for what was to come. "I have been running from my problems my whole life, only for it to inevitably catch up to me. Today was no different, but the outcome was... because of you." The blonde gazed down to her Faunus, amber eyes gleaming in the soft, flickering light of the television, irises glowing in the dark contrast to the room. "Yes, Adam and The White Fang were snagging at my coattails for a long while, but with some careful consideration, all the things I couldn't mend by escaping were resolved. I've caught up to the present and it's radiant. For the first time in a long time, I feel free."

Touched by the Faunus' words, she leaned down, giving a deep kiss to her partner. "What are you planning to do now that you're free?"

"I don't know. What are you up to next weekend?"

"Hopefully in bed with my Faunus girlfriend, but I'll take her out for a night in the city if she's up for it."

"The bed sound more enticing this time around. Been to the city enough these past couple of weeks. Some rest and relaxation is in order."

"There will be no resting, I assure you." Yang kissed between Blake's cat ears, the appendages tickling her cheeks as they flittered in lazy content. The blonde rested her chin in the thick black mane, inhaling and searching deep for her lavender scent, dust residue and sweat coating the dark locks, but it was underlying beneath it all. She felt her Faunus' nostrils take a large whiff as well, herself most likely pleasantly disappointed with the stench. Blake found her spot again, Yang remaining the pillow for the team through the night.

Yang was not surprised at how fast Blake fell asleep, only that she fell asleep before her. She had to stifle her laughter, the awkward position having the Faunus lightly snore, the blonde only hearing her kitten purr in her mind. She lightly stroked her back through her mane, Yang so proud of Blake. "_You can truly do anything when you don't run away. First Adam, then The White Fang, then revolution, maybe. I know you can do it, we can do it. You inspire me, Blake. Maybe... maybe it's time I find the answer to my past._"


	38. Ruby: Transplant Shock

Hey everybody. Hope you all having a happy Valentine's/Single Awareness Day is whatever fashion you deemed awesome. As for the Bumblebee art, it probably would've finished for the holiday, but my artist, Bakki, completely forget to send me the edits XD. It will be ready soon, however. Thanks to everyone who follows, favs and reviews, and that doubles for all the reposts of the art. It's fun to see it pop up in feeds. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

Ruby: Transplant Shock

The drafts of a cool island morning breezed in with the windows left unattended at night, the home feeling a fine chill and the air stilled. Ruby felt it on her face, the wind angling itself into her face with the unlucky positioning. The leader's eyes stayed shut, forcing herself to go back to sleep with no avail. In the twilight of her awakening, she shifted her head to find the cooler side of the pillow, Ruby becoming increasingly annoyed when she could only gravitate from hot to hotter. As the brain's gears slowly shifted, her eyes needed a confirmation as to where she was, a gray eye peeping and seeing a large tan mound.

"_It's been a long time, since I've been here,_" Ruby realizing the beating in her head wasn't a numb migraine, but her sister's heartbeat. "_We keep regressing back to when we were kids whenever we come back home. The family got a little bigger, though._" Ruby moved her head to hear the only other sound in the room. Seeing only Yang's hand around Blake's waist, the Faunus also using Yang as her pillow through the night, the leader swearing she was purring with the subtle frequency of her snoring.

The sun was up, drapes partially letting into some of the rays to greet the sleeping girls. Ruby knew they were out late, but didn't want to sleep in past noon if she could help it. As she went for her scroll, she felt the muscles pull, but no response. To make sure she wasn't experiencing some phantom pain, she looked over, Ruby's heart easing as the white locks of her girlfriend were spilled over her, head firmly planted on the leader's shoulder constricting the circulation of blood.

"_Glad to see you smiling in your sleep. It's kind of weird that a bunch of grown women are sharing a couch, but people at ends with each other wouldn't share a room if we weren't a team again. Wouldn't be the first time all of us were bundled against Yang for warmth. Too many missions in mountains and I'm always one to forget the blankets because of my cloak._"

As Ruby was reminiscing about the fun had on training missions, she was reminded of why they were being trained, her hands uncovering a bruise on her girlfriend's collarbone as she pulled back the strands of hair. "_I can barely remember coming home. Whomever is fighting for The White Fang are matching progress in their battle prowess and that's just them battling solo. Beacon and a lot of huntsmen culture is centered around a team... around a partner. It's dangerous do to what we do alone, but judging from my performance last night, I might be relying too much on Weiss._"

The leader was transported back to the warehouse, the team separating quickly with so many high-profile targets that were present. Her own skills fared well, but felt the weight of dependence as she waited for Weiss and her glyphs to come into frame, Ruby wanting to fight fire with ice to keep the masquerading woman from outpacing her. She would have even taken a stray blast from Myrtenaster for a quick stun, but Weiss was preoccupied with her own battle. When Ruby was disarmed, she felt the lump in her throat. Like a turtle flipped on its back, she was completely helpless as she stared into the inky blackness behind the mask's holes. Ruby braced herself for the hit until her opponent was blasted off by her girlfriend, Ruby quickly taking to her feet and bursting towards Crescent Rose to rearm herself. By the time Weiss came up to inspect her potential injuries, The White Fang escaped.

"_What does that mean for partners? Is no one allowed to be a vigilante and fight on their own? Uncle Qrow seems to do his missions on his own? I was halfway about to cry for Weiss' help because we've ingrained ourselves in fighting together. Would I have been injured if our schooling prioritized fighting over team-building? Would Mom be here if she had her partner out there with her? Or is all of this just luck that she shows up at the right place at the right time to save me? There's too much of the unknown to think about when fighting to plan for all the contingencies when a hundred 'what ifs' pop into my head. I want to say I'm worrying myself for no reason, but we've all gotten hurt at some point. Is this how partners operate or are we just getting lucky?_"

A mumbled grumble came from her side, the heiress's dream getting her body to shift to find comfort. Ruby, being pinning under her girlfriend's body, couldn't comfort her like she wanted, the leader settling on clasping the back of the ice princess' hand to suffice. "_We're fine, right? This isn't all just happenstance._"

Ruby lightly caressed the pale back of the heiress' hand, the smooth richness of her well-manicured skin fun in its own right as her callused thumb ran over her knuckles. The gentle breathing of her girlfriend quieted her mind, but the smaller voice in the back of her mind was still present. With no one to talk about it with, she was thankful for that first yawn of the morning, Weiss' chords cracking as she stretched them, along with the rest of her, as she woke.

The leader let her heiress go, Weiss stretching her arms and back, bones cracking, thankful for the new position with the awkward way they were piled on the couch. The blue orbs met hers, the rest of her face complacent with her stare. "You know I don't like it when you stare at me when I sleep."

"I wasn't. I mean, look at the position I'm in. Couldn't have done it if I tried," Ruby replied, slowly maneuvering herself off of her sister to join the heiress to her feet. As she stood in front of her lover, a small peck was placed on her nose, Weiss reciprocating with a proper one on her lips. Her limp arm the ice princess was sleeping on caught her attention, Ruby sighing as she grasped it.

"You're not hurt, are you?"

"You slept on it. I'll be fine. I actually should be asking you the same thing." Ruby used her working arm to reveal the bruise, the wound still tender as the heiress sighed into the pain as well. The leader traced around it, the circumference as big as a couple grapes not reassuring. "How did this happen?"

"Lucky shot, or rather, my poor assumptions. I kept hearing your semblance burst and could have sworn you were next to me to deflect a punch, but I misjudged your position. A rare miscalculation, but I won't let that happen again," she explained.

The leader felt the pit in her stomach harden. She knew Weiss to never make mistakes like that, but because of her, she was injured. "_What else could I have caused?_" Ruby harshly damning herself as she wondered what her white petty coat could possibly be concealing.

"Ruby," Weiss asked inquisitively, breaking the leader out of her trance. "Mind not trying to undress me with your eyes with the sleeping duo not ten feet away."

She glanced over, even with the shuffling getting off the couch and light talking, neither Blake or Yang were conscious in their coma-like sleep. "I wasn't. I was just... admiring your beauty is all," Ruby patting herself on the back for effectively covering up her worry.

"Nice try, but I saw the glint in your eye. I'm excited too for tonight, but I don't know if these two got the memo, or your father."

"Dad will probably be working late tonight. What's been great about us being students is that we haven't been tasked with the grueling amount of paper work and nonsense that comes to recording what happens after battles." Ruby returned her gaze back to her girlfriend. "I think with the amount of karma we've build with them, such a simple request should not be denied."

"Agreed on normal circumstances, but they're beaten from last night. I can't imagine the gambit of emotions they were put through and everyday leading up to it. We're joining them for dinner tonight. I hope I didn't step over any plans you may have secretly had."

"Other than a few lost hours from the bedroom, no," Ruby's toothy grin mirroring her sister's, Weiss playfully annoyed by the lusty charm.

"Then I'll sweeten the pot by discreetly paying for the meal."

"And I'll umm..."the leader stuck as there was so little she could do past the puppy-dog plea that's been losing its gain on Yang over the years. Her answer came with a hefty growl from her stomach, her cheeks pinking with how uproarious her hunger presented itself. "I think I'll make some breakfast. I know them two like waffles and eggs. What are you feeling today?"

"I was going to suggest pancakes, but I'll settle for waffles with some fresh strawberries and cream. This is your house, so I assume there's chocolate chips to put in your portion." Weiss already made her way to the cupboards looking for the ingredients. Ruby got into it as well and headed for the pantry for the aprons. With how immaculate the house was after cleaning, she kicked herself for not knowing better that some chores were to be slacked. The aprons were a ragged, dirty mess of white and chocolate dangling from the hooks. They served their function, taking the grime and dirtiness from the splashes and flakes of kitchen toil, but Ruby didn't expect there to be obvious patterns of lewd play on display.

Ruby walked up to Weiss, face soured as she got the expected laughter out of the heiress. She wasn't going to try and cover it up, it fairly hard to with chocolate hand prints on her breasts and smears along her hips. Ruby was happy to see Blake was just as frisky when the ice princess donned her soiled garment on, the leader not holding back as a firm hand grasp was centered around her womanhood with many smears under her bust. A light-hearted flick to the nose was reflexive as the heiress turned away to hide her embarrassment. Ruby joined her as soon as she could breathe again, promising to not make the aprons anymore like well-done spin art.

It may not have been baking her mom's cookie recipes, but making breakfast with Weiss was a nice turn-of-pace after the night they had. Ruby was left to the cooking after the preparations were made, the heiress adamant that presentation was nine-tenths of what makes a meal. The last ten percent was smell, the looming scent of freshly-cooked bacon roaming the house was able to stir the other two off of the couch.

After they did the day-after-a-fight routine of cracking bones and yawning, Yang belted laughter at Ruby and Weiss' aprons, the humiliation transferred as the younger couple tried their best to hide the shame. Blake was more polite in her teasing, keeping the titers to a minimum, but staying mostly quiet. "I wish I-I was sorry," the blonde's chest hurting from the contractions. "We couldn't throw those whites in with our clothes."

"We did promise to come back to it later and settled on most of the house being clean," Blake added, unwrapping her ribbon around her ears, letting the cat appendages flutter free after being bound through the night. She gave a quick nudge to Yang, trying to get her to stop. "Come on, let up. They were nice enough to make breakfast dressed up like that."

Yang sobered up, wiping the tears forming from her eyes as she apologized. "You're right. Thanks girls. Aside from bacon, what else is on the menu?"

Ruby brought over a plate of freshly stacked waffles and a hefty serving of poached eggs with a generous smattering of syrup. "What we could quickly scrape up. We may have slept for ten hours, but I wasn't feeling rested enough to pull a five course meal. Sorry, Blake. There wasn't much of seafood in the fridge."

"I noticed when I was nosing around for snacks at night," the Faunus maneuvering her eggy treat with her knife and fork to her plate.

"We like our seafood fresh here," Yang explained, taking more than half of stack of waffles for herself, Weiss's face scrunching as most of the hard work was going to the blonde glutton. "Picking up some fish or crustaceans from a market takes about ten minutes on Bumblebee."

The girls gathered around the island, Ruby choosing to stand with one less seat than what the house is normally suited for. The leader was glad to see the frown turn upside down as Weiss bite into her share of breakfast, the good food and better mood had by all, especially the other couple. The usual antics were had, Blake quickly snipping back at Yang who was desperately trying to draw on her face with the sticky sauce, but Ruby was picking up on something different about them. Something that piqued Weiss' interest as well.

"Judging from this sort of horseplay, I'm assuming finding Adam went over well."

The comment caught the other two off-guard, the heiress piercing through the little world they seem to create when others are around. They glanced back at each other, smiles saying more than Yang was able to articulate. "It went... it went better than expected. While insomnia was kicking in, I was able to see what Blake saw in him. There was some humanity left in him... it just took him nearly bleeding out for it to show. I'm glad we were able to put him away, instead of the alternative."

"That almost sounds too good that it might be insincere," Blake quipped.

"I did a lot of thinking last night, and I was done having a grudge, especially since how much you've been smiling since."

"It was... it was just nice to right a wrong from my past. Part of me helped spur Adam into what he became and... it was nice to finally have some closure," she admitted, Yang's hand snaking up the back of her head, fingers framing around her cat ears, kissing the top her black mane. "But you hitting him was overkill to say the least."

"You can't even say that with a straight face," the blonde's facetiousness bringing truth to her presumption as Blake's toothy grin was showing. "You loved that I gave him a jab to the temple."

"I didn't love it... but I didn't hate it either," the Faunus hiding her appreciation by stuffing her mouth with another morsel. Ruby could see Yang satisfied with her victory, the blonde allowing to change the subject.

"So, you girls ready for your dinner tonight?"

"Absolutely. You didn't have to do this for us, girls. We were content on not doing much of anything so we're glad to asked us to tag-along," Weiss thanked the older sister.

It dawned on Ruby that she didn't know that she was being wrangled into. "Oh yea, where are we going?"

"That seafood place Dad liked to take Mom to. You remember, the one where you were running back to the table, then your semblance kicked in and you bashed your head at the end of it."

The pain and the tears were remembered, the embarrassment seeping to her cheeks as she heard Weiss snickering at the fond family memory of a young Ruby whose semblance wasn't under control yet. Ruby took some relief that there were no heels or dressed code required, Ruby wanting to take casual to the next level with jeans and sneakers. As they finished their meals, the final step in getting ready was upon them. A fight that likes to rear its ugly head into the room whenever all of them come back from a mission.

Who gets to use the shower first?

Ruby felt the tension rise in the room, all of them darting their eyes to the hallway, the porcelain and tiled heaven just beyond the leader's room. The leader's gray battle skirt clung to her, not doubting herself if there was concrete and dust residue along her face like the rest of them. A warm shower sounded better than eating the sweetest, softest cookie. She didn't like to cheat, her semblance an easy way to win a race, but she harkened back to the days where Yang would hog the bathroom, her golden mane manicuring taking the better part of an hour. As much as either of the sisters wanted to be good hosts, they regressed themselves back to being petty siblings.

Her eyes met Yang's and then her own as she met the mirror in the safe hub, heart beating as she heard the footsteps stampeding down the hallway. The leader swiftly shut the door, lock securing as she put her back against the door.

"Not fair, Ruby!" came a shouted muffle of her sister from beyond the wooden panel. "We had a truce on this."

"All's fair when we return home. Use Dad's shower."

"You know it's weird to use and makes that awful hum through the house!"

"Sorry, you lose. Weiss!" Ruby called out to her heiress when the budging was let up. "Come into my room and I'll give a few taps to the wall when I'm almost done."

"Sounds good. Blake and I will just be having a mature conversation about how juvenile our girlfriends are," the ice princess countered, the sting of the comment not felt as she knew Weiss never had to fight for a bathroom till she came to Beacon.

* * *

><p>The ends of her nails clang against the wood at her desk gave Ruby the signal to trim her fingernails as Weiss was in the shower. As the humming of the blow dryer clicked off, the leader was frantically throwing the rest of her clippings to the carpet to hide her leftover trimmings.<p>

Weiss came in, Ruby putting on some socks to mask her guilt. She took note of the lovely ivory locks that were damp from the water, enough moister keeping the strands heavy. Ruby aided her girlfriend, pulling her hair out of the pale blue oversized loose sweater as she dressed. "Thanks. Mind passing me my boots? Fitting into those after a shower is going to be a nightmare."

The leader fetched the heeled, brown leather footwear. Ruby left her girlfriend to the task of fitting into skintight clothing, the younger girl never understanding why women would wear such brutal clothing. If she had the same waistline, she would have loaned her a pair of pants, although she had to admit Weiss' slender figure wore them well. Ruby slipped into a red hoodie, giving the cloak a rest and a washing. She loved keeping the distinct smells of battle on her, each residue of dust and sweat a vehicle to that fight. Last night was the exception, Ruby hoping for a fresh start with a freshly cleaned cloak tomorrow.

"How long till your sister is done getting ready?"

"She said fifteen minutes, so it's more like thirty. We all took a little longer in the shower. It feels so good to be clean."

"I couldn't agree more. I just wonder who she's fooling? It can't be us at this point with her estimated time on getting ready." The heiress gave the final pulling grunt as she slipped into her boots. Weiss got up and gathered her white mane into a long tail. With her hairpin tiara in her mouth, she wrapped and tightened her hair into the usual asymmetrical neatness. With a final pin to her cowl, and a latching of the rosy necklace, she was the prim and proper princess Ruby loved. The heiress turned to meet Ruby, her peerless gaze melting the leader as usual. She met her in the middle, the few extra inches in her heels had Ruby where she was over a year ago, looking up to Weiss.

"Some things, never change," Ruby tipping her toes enough to reach the heiress' lips. "Zwei could use a bit of family love. Let's go play with him till they're ready."

Ruby almost regret the decision of having Weiss near Zwei. The leader promised herself that she would need to explore the inner machinations of why the ice princess is so enamored with dogs one day. Till then, she would have to take to prying her pup from Weiss' cold fingers. What finally got then to stop is Yang keeling over at the sight of fighting over Zwei like a teddy bear, a paw in each hand being stretched for his ownership. The relaxing wears of jeans were had by the other two, Yang and Blake still sporting their scarves and a couple of the blonde's flannels to compliment the ensemble.

Ruby's appetite was flaring as soon as they hit the downtown district, wondering if she could sneak away with Weiss and have some home-style truffle burgers at a place she loved. Still, sitting down at a booth in the hole-in-the-wall place that her dad courted many a times with her mom felt appropriate. The room was barely big enough for no more than ten families, the leader glad no tourists were rushing to Patch for the winter. The room was dimly lit, the romantic lighting not obvious to her a kid, nor the single candle lit at the checkered table.

"And I'll have the fisherman's linguine, please." Ruby the last to have her order taken passed the menu to the waiter who came back quickly with a three glasses of wine and a soda for the leader. "Can we not clang our glasses together? I feel stupid with my plastic cup."

Yang was quick to levitate the problem. "Take mine for the mean time. Blake and I will share one." The other couple held their glass high, Weiss and Ruby joining them with a gentle cling of glassware. "Happy anniversary, you two."

"Thanks," they were appreciative in unison. As much as the leader wanted to not look foolish, it came out as soon as the sharp taste of the wine hit her pallet, Ruby not yet acquired to the taste. "Take it back."

The blonde obliged, taking a hard swig before setting it down. "A year ago. I can't believe it's been that long."

"From the nature of your remark, you didn't believe we'd last this long," Weiss jested back, taking a proud sip until the others shared a conscious-stricken stare, the ice princess double taking her drink as the realization hit her and Ruby.

"Oh, my goodness. Yang, Blake, did you girls seriously not think we'd make it as a couple?" Ruby the first to protest. The other two had a silent argument, neither seemingly wanting to open up about the subject. The Faunus whispered something about 'sister', the blonde taking a deep breath looking both of them in the eye.

"Not really. I mean, we saw how rocky your partnership was going. It was fortunate Weiss had such a quick turnaround because I don't know how I'd react if you kept being belittled by her every step. I wouldn't have been surprised if the relationship would have continued along that path, Ozpin probably would've let you two switch partners, a rare feat at Beacon," Yang calmly explained, all of the words hitting just as hard as if she were being chastised for them.

"I know how I was back then, but as you can see, I've changed a lot. I love all of what Ruby has to offer. Every spaz idiosyncrasy, her cookie quirks, and her general idea of expressing love, I cherish."

"Now you do, but even then I see where it tears at you," Blake taking over her girlfriend's stance. "Ruby, I say this with love, but you did annoy Weiss with a lot of what you did and still continue to do. I can't stress this enough, we love how this all turned out. You two bring out the best in each other, even when you're at each other's throats. Ruby, you spark jealously from Yang with how thoughtful and outstanding you are as a girlfriend."

"That was supposed to be a secret. Thanks for letting the cat out of the bag." Yang nudged her girlfriend, only for Blake to slap her forearm for the lame pun, Ruby wondering if the blonde was really disheartened or just wanted to pull that joke. "I'll let out another one. Weiss, don't get mad at Ruby, I know the day you two got together was the same day Blake and I went on that date that ended very, very well."

The blonde's devious grin contrasted the fiery heat that Ruby was feeling from the heated stare at her face, the leader airing on the side of safety and not connecting the gaze from her partner. "It sort of slipped in conversation. It's not a big deal, Weiss. I mean, who says we can't pick and choose when our anniversary is." Ruby's voice cracking as she swept the mess back under the rug.

"I feel it more was yanked from some hard ribbing from her," the ice princess' tone annoyed.

"Also, it kind of is a big deal," Blake separated Weiss' fuming attention with a gift. It was small, red ribbons accenting the white wrapping. "Open it," the Faunus urged, Ruby snapping the ribbon with a bread knife. Weiss peeled away the paper, revealing a polished silver frame, a picture inside displaying the couple of the hour. Ruby remembers that day, their first mission together and how proud she was of everyone, especially Weiss, for living up to her best teammate promise, her tactics sharp in aiding Ruby. There was one, glaring flaw to capturing a moment.

"Umm... thanks, but the glass is broken."

"That's our fault. It was part of the collateral damage to the house," her sister attempting to amend the situation. "But we talked about it with Weiss and she wanted us to give it to you still."

Ruby was about to call Yang out, her girlfriend, the perfectionist, would never have this portrait on display for others to mock. A hand came into her vision, Weiss' warm hands matching her smile as the leader curiously looked up. "They brought it to me yesterday. They found out what you had to find out the hard way how hard it is to shop for me. But look, Ruby, this massive crack, a few pieces missing, it's what they were saying before. Our love isn't perfect, it's us, though, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

An affectionate sigh come from the other side of the table, Yang as smitten by the words as Ruby, her cheeks turning a slight pink with how charming the heiress came off. "Th-that's beautiful, Weiss. Thank you." she leaned in giving a chaste peck that would have to be adequate until later. "And thank you so much, girls. This is pretty... fantastic." Ruby took a closer look and remembered all the warm fuzzies she had that day. "I think I'd have a scar if it weren't for your glyphs, Weiss. The Nevermore came dangerously close."

"I didn't say I'd be best teammate and not mean it. Besides, you should be more proud that you were able to get me to smile at one of your jokes. You say wine is an acquired taste, you taking the Nevermore's feathers and tickling me into the ground is a far harder pill to swallow," Weiss explained, the leader's gall flaring as her fingers aggressively fluttered around her girlfriend's sides, the joyful squeal from the heiress elicited a comment from Yang.

"See, aren't you glad Blake and I kicked you out of he room that night? If that didn't happen, you two probably wouldn't have gotten together."

The reality of the remark grasped the leader's heart, its stranglehold tightening as she knew her sister's words to be true. "_Oh, my goodness. That's can't be right, can it? I loved Weiss. I just didn't have the... No, she's so right. I would've never been able to bring up the courage to talk to Weiss about how I felt. That rose I put in her suitcase an exception because I didn't have to look her in the eyes. Me, face-to-face with her, actually pouring out my heart would have come out as incoherent babble and would've been sent away. If they didn't go on that date, if that guy never attacked Weiss, if I didn't spaz out afterward, would Weiss and I even be a couple? Are we just a product of circumstance? What else could've not happened?_"

"And who ordered the fisherman's linguine?" the waiter asked, the ice princess nudging her girlfriend to raise her hand and take the order. She stared into the pasta, her appetite gone and too distracted by her thoughts to eat, Ruby concentrating to mask it as she tried to enjoy the rest of her meal.

*-Weiss-*

The heiress patted herself on the back, taking a page out of her girlfriend's book and excusing herself to the restroom to catch up to their waiter, slyly handing him her credit card and saying to tip appropriately. The other couple picked up the the cab fee, Yang slightly miffed that the heiress was so clever back at the restaurant. "It was no big deal. It was your romantic dinner before it became our anniversary celebration. Don't sweat it, Yang."

"I won't too much, but let others treat you. I don't have to remind you about our troubles with gift giving." Yang tousled the heiress' bangs, the ice princess straitening them out instinctively. She noticed Blake march herself in the house, the heiress finding it hard to find a voice to tell Ruby that window of opportunity was slipping with her sister in front of her. She felt a hand grasp hers, her partner standing tall, but too rigid from her nervousness.

"Umm...Yang. We, I mean, I need to ask you something," Ruby stammered out.

"Yeah, Ruby. Shoot it," Yang causally said, her relaxed demeanor the heiress wished was shared by her sister, her hand being crushed under the pressure.

"Yang... I-I hate doing this, especially since its our house, but-but Weiss and I were hoping for a little private time. It-it's our anniversary and..."

"You can stop where you are, Ruby," the blonde interrupted. "I don't want you popping a vein asking me like you always do. Blake and I were actually smart enough to know you'd ask. It's the reason we took so long getting ready. We're deciding to rough it and have a little beach camping." Weiss was glad to feel some release from the tension, her fingers able to circulate blood again as Ruby loosened her grip. "I'll go and help her out. Wait five minutes and we'll use the backyard gate to leave." Yang making it as quick and painless as it needed to be and embraced the two in a hug.

"Wow. Thanks, Yang."

"No problem. Have fun." Yang skipped away into the house, Weiss already starting the timer in her head and anticipating its ding. She turned to her girlfriend, waiting to see the same sporting smile, but was deterred by the frown and grimace of her face. The heiress, now used to the pain, didn't even notice she was still vice gripped to Ruby.

"Hey, Ruby." The leader turned towards her, eyes frightening more without a cheery glow to them. "What's wrong? It's over. The hard part is done."

The statement brought her partner back, releasing Weiss' hand as if she didn't know she was holding onto it. "So-sorry, Weiss. I was thinking and stuff."

The ambiguity that laced her words was too blunt to ignore, the heiress not about to have the fun be dampened with whatever vexed Ruby. "Girlfriend talk," she demanded, stopping her partner before she was able to try and rebuff the request. "No, you're not getting out of it. You've been waiting for this day since I cracked a book in front of you and said for you to memorize the material or there will be a drought of a dry streak. We've been busy, gotten caught up in White Fang business, and now we're finally free. Where's that glint, that sparkle, that enthusiasm that's been bleeding out of you this morning?" Weiss fell short about how she was also craving sexual gratification until she saw the weight that was tipping Ruby's scales to fear. She stepped forward, only for her girlfriend to step back, the heiress reaching out and keeping the leader in her orbit. In a softer voice, she assured, "What's got you worked up?"

Weiss hadn't had Ruby look up to her since her final growth spurt, the leader's gray irises confused, wanting to be comforted. "I-I... Last night, it actually got my mind thinking... I know I usually run around carefree because I want to be immortal like my heroes in my stories, but I felt a bit of my mortality last night when she had me pinned and I was helpless. I then asked the question, what would've happened if you weren't there?" Ruby confessed, Weiss' eyes growing from her own concern with the existential qualities in her girlfriend's case. "Would I have been hurt? If then, how hurt? Would I be scarred, blinded, burned? Dead... It got me scared with the uncertainty of it all, then what Yang mentioned at dinner, really scared me. What if we didn't get kicked out that night? Would we be together? What if you didn't have that talk with Professor Port? Would you have bothered to warm up to me and be my best teammate? Would we work as a team if that didn't happen? Is partnership a bad idea when I rely on you so much in battle? Is everything random?"

Weiss couldn't handle anymore, the questions spewing from her girlfriend scaring her more as it went on. She placed her hand lightly over Ruby's mouth, cooing the woman till she settled down. "Calm down, Ruby. Those questions, although unnerving to hear, are questions we've all asked ourselves. I wouldn't be surprised in the next few were what is our purpose or why do we exist?" The heiress got an expected nod from Ruby as confirmation. "I hate pulling the age-card on this one, but you're just hitting a part of your life where mortality matters to you. Imagining death as a kid is different from experiencing it as an adult. You see life differently. You see a lot of pathways of what could've been instead of walking mindlessly on one. I remember my wake up call. It's when I got this."

Weiss brought Ruby's hand up to her scar, her thumb maneuvering hers into the groove. "I asked the questions what if I didn't lose my temper to my father? Would I be unscathed? Would I regret not standing up to him? Then I looked in the mirror and had more depressing thoughts. How can I cover it up? How could anyone look past something so grossly blemishing my face? How will I find someone?"

"I would have told you that you're beautiful and the scar makes you distinguished. Also... I kind of think it's sexy," Ruby lightening the mood made Weiss feel the effects of her words.

"I would have loved to hear that, so I hope me telling you this helps. It's bleak, but there are a lot of variables that we can't count on. I'm sure your dad didn't anticipate Yang's mom leaving him. I'm sure your mom didn't think she'd die so young. I mean, tomorrow I can get hit by a car walking down the street and be paralyzed. We have to be secure with ourselves and with the present, because it's not worth it to dwell on the past. Fix it now and the future will play out a lot better. You don't have to answer this now, but are you happy?"

The sparkle was brewing behind her eyes, the cheerfulness birthed anew as Ruby smiled up at the heiress, running her thumb around her scar, hand cupping her face. "I am. I really am."

"That being said, then let me reassure you. With things that are uncertain, there are things that are definite and I can assure you that we would have gotten together." Weiss took a deep breath before her confession. "When we went out that day... I knew that I had never been attracted to another person than I did you. That week away... I missed you and when I was walking with you, talking with you, it all made sense and I knew I had to do something about it. I'm a Schnee. With my immense wealth, I'm used to getting anything and everything I want. Even if you weren't going to work up the nerve, I was. The time and place would've been different, but I would've gotten at you. I take what I want and I wanted you. And..." Weiss' gaze averted slightly, cheeks tinting at her attempt to be seductive. "I really... want you now."

The heiress maneuvered her hand to place it in a more seductive place, resting it atop Ruby's breast, her heartbeat steady and fast. Weiss didn't know what was happening in Ruby's head, but she needed her beloved to act first. With the silence becoming unbearable, her face became a fire with length. "Please don't make me spell it out for you."

Ruby didn't need to be told twice, the leader tipping on her toes and pressing her lips to Weiss' with the zeal she expected. The heiress, not fond of personal displays of affection, even though it was fairly secluded and no one was around, was happy to hear her mental timer ding. Before escalating any further, she broke the kiss, nodding her head to the house, her girlfriend taking her by the hand and leading her in.

The house was dark, Weiss gleefully, but carefully skittering away to Ruby's room. Hours before she was freshly showered, underwear-clad in front of a mirror on display for her girlfriend, but coming back to the room changed the common atmosphere. Ruby turned on her desk light, the only sufficient source for mood lighting. Her bed was a deep hue of red, Weiss both bemused and embarrassed that she was going to have sex in a comforter that had the massive logo of 'Dead Fantasy' on it. Her room was slightly a mess, parts to weapons strew and the entertainment center a disorder of cables and remotes. Still, the room's sex-repellent of all of the leader's gadgets and decor didn't neutralize the romantic charge sparking between them.

"So umm... did you want the room brighter or...?"

They were well into the double-digits of how many times they've done this, but Weiss was charmed at Ruby's flustered attentiveness. The ice princess prompted her forward, the leader drawn like a moth to a flame to her lover. Weiss grabbed the scruff of the red jacket, lazily pulling Ruby in for a lustful kiss. The heiress parted her mouth, Ruby eagerly accepting the invite as she danced around the marshmallow lips. Weiss met her at the entrance, tongue gliding and guiding her muscle into her cavity. Her adept partner enthralled the heiress, soft gratifying moans escaping her as tongues spiraled, separated, and repeated the waltz. As libidos were flaring, the dance was eluding to their more carnivorous desires.

As the short-haired girl ran her hands though the impressive, silky stands of Weiss' hair, the ice princess staying busy as well. With a slow hand, she placed it on Ruby's chest, gradually leaning her into the bed without breaking their kiss. The heiress felt the tiara clips come undone, her length of hair falling to one side, almost getting snagged in the jacket being unzipped. Her lips followed her downward motion, the leader letting out a pleaful gasp as Weiss branded her with a soft nibble.

"Weiss," the leader barely audible as her imploration came out as a breath, "it's one thing when it's Yang that catches me. I'll burn a brighter red than my cloak if Dad sees a purplish mark."

Teeth tempted the yielding skin, Weiss sporting a wicked smile as she heard the failing restraint in her girlfriend's voice. The heiress had been meaning to give Ruby the same flustered face whenever she uses her semblance to goose Weiss in front of people, on-goers none the wiser with a few rose petals in the wake of her quick arrival and departure. Tonight, Weiss was dominant, as she was more than eager to hear Ruby scream her name in the purest state of exposure.

Weiss finished unzipping her jacket, the clothing falling off Ruby's shoulders, giving Weiss her opening. A slender digit hooked around the collar of the leader's t-shirt, nail abrading the white skin while stretching the fabric low enough to give sight to her target. "Then let me insure its concealment." The ice princess lowered her head to the milky softness atop Ruby's breast. The short-haired girl drew breath sharply as Weiss tenderly branded her, the gentleness ending as the heiress felt she was done playing around, her assertiveness demanding a little more lip locking. Her nature enslaved Ruby, her cavity hers as she roamed the slick mass, the leader too distracted by the rising passion that Weiss was able to discard her jacket with ease.

Her knee grew tried, back aching from leaning in, but that's not what had Weiss pursuing herself to the spread, legs grateful for the new arching position as she towered over her lover. Her lungs begged for air as Ruby left her mouth, the leader tossing away her own rule and greedily leaving a few dark marks for keen eyes to find. The heiress' sweater proved easier to navigate as Ruby attacked her chest. Weiss didn't need more coercing to get more clothing off, but didn't want the sensations of her partner's knicks and licks to stop trilling her. The deft hands slithered down the toned body of her lover, pulling up on the hem of her t-shirt, Ruby gladly helping as she pulled the dark garment over her head.

The silver moonlight peeked past the drapes, the red tips of her hair glinting, along with a bit of sweat they've aroused, a bead dripped from her chin, flowing down the cleavage, not that Weiss noticed as she was spellbound by her girlfriend's form. The lacy red bra with black trimmings was fighting to keep in Ruby's modest mounds, her lungs heaving from the little air she was able to pass through her nostrils, Weiss feeling more lightheaded just by looking at how worked up she looked. Weiss noted of the bra finely filled, wondering if a little growth happened there as well, her hand reaching out and testing her assumption.

A part of her was relieved Ruby didn't grow a cup size, the ice princess' smaller hands forming comfortably around the delicate globes. A rough moan elicited from the leader, the hungry glint in her eye shining in the luminescence, Weiss giving into the carnal pleasures and lustfully kissing her back. Her hands worked around the straps, a flick of the wrist had Ruby's bra in her lap. Before the bra hit the floor, Weiss had moved south, engulfing a raised peak, a gratifying shriek came from the leader as she swept the nipple with skillful love. Ruby's hands ran through the white mass of hair, nails in rhythm with her moans whenever the Weiss would get her body to react, the heiress kindling the fire burning between them with each heated suckle from the areola.

Ruby's hands chased her instinct, hands tugging up on the heiress' sweater, asking for permission. Weiss complied, she too not liking being the only one naked during love making. She parted, the ice princess swiping at the string of saliva that came from the sugary soda Ruby drank at the restaurant. The initial glint sparkled and multiplied, the sparks from the breast play flushing the leader, appetite clear as eyes roamed Weiss' body, the heiress embarrassed as her body was thoroughly surveyed.

The leader's careful analysis found her target, her partner forgetting her own squeaky plea from the beginning and attacking Weiss' collarbone. Her body craned, responding to the kisses planted on her. She wanted to feel her skin against her lover's, Ruby two steps ahead of her and whisked the hooks to her bra. She curved her arms inward, tossing the white lace away and intensely embracing her lover. Ruby's rock-hard tips etched into her body, Weiss burying herself in the black treads, inhaling her scent as it was being mixtured with the ones they were creating.

Weiss felt Ruby's head inch out of her grasp, Weiss reluctantly loosening her arms to let the leader tend to her perky chest. The calloused hands kneaded the small breast, the hardened ridges stimulated by the rough, yet tender, fingers of her lover. The other was cared for to by the velvety glaze of her tongue, spiraling around her nipple that evoked weak whimpers from Weiss. The ice princess could feel the electric bolts surging to her lower half, part of her feeling tortured with the amount of pleasure, her hips tempting herself, the heavy jean fabric not enough as she grinded against Ruby's leg, sure she was dripping enough that it seeped through the thick fabric.

The brass and steel wriggled beneath her, the heiress desperately wanting to rid herself of her tight jeans. Ruby unzipped hers as well, Weiss nearly falling off her feet as she struggled to pull of the pair. Ruby was more docile, making sure the ice princess wasn't going to trip and bang her head on the nightstand. The leader was radiant in her matching panties, Weiss noticing a damp spot on her pair as well, the heiress feeling a flush in her cheeks as she could tell hers were more drenched.

Ruby curled her finger, beckoning her girlfriend back to the sheets. Weiss returned to the bed, peeling off the last of their garments to avoid any more interruptions. She propped herself up with her knees, hand slinging its way to its desired destination, the heiress taking her time as she roamed her girlfriend's body, but also distracted from the lustful glaze in the stormy eyes. Ruby's hand hitched Weiss' leg between hers, her lithe frame proving to be a stable surface as her juices lathered her thigh. Ruby laced her arms around her lover, both bound to each other and the bed.

Before she let Ruby take the first move, the ice princess' hand moved between her legs, fingers exploring the familiar crevasse. Shuddered gasps came has her fingers grazed past her clit, the heiress wanting an immersion into her pool of honey, a small dip taken by a couple fingers. She brought the digits back up, a clear bead running heavy down the slender appendages. Weiss entranced her lover, the dulcet flavoring evident as her face curled, thoroughly enjoying the taste that she yearned for.

Weiss secured her hand behind Ruby's head, nails bedding into her scalp and she kept hers eyes locked with her. The leader's eyes quaked in anticipation, the steely blues not blinking, taking in every pure, carnal expression she could conjure. Her hand returned to the channel, wetness flowing generously, fingers meandering around the entrance, teasing the poor girl writhing in her arms, desperate for Weiss to take the plunge. The heiress circled the inviting pool, taking it achingly slow and pushing one into Ruby.

Her mouth allured the ice princess as it gaped open from the pleasure, Weiss leaning in and sealing it with her own. With Ruby as lubed as she was, the heiress picked up the pace, strumming the ridges of her insides to make Ruby long for her touch more. The edge of the leader's knee was pressed against her own folds. The rising moans, potent scent, and Ruby's riding expression had the heiress desiring her own. Her clit sat firm against the strong thigh, her breath seizing with each vigorous glide against the toned flesh, Ruby attributing to the rhythm as best she could as Weiss was taking her to climax.

Weiss thought she could temper her pleasure, her body misbehaving as she was climbing to the top. She slipped another finger in her lover to keep up, Weiss inverted her technique to knuckle up under Ruby's favorite spot. Her fingers were being strangled, constricted by the heat and muscle that consumed her. The heiress edged her palm on Ruby's pearl, clamping down on the small bud. A sharp pain from her back alarmed her, only for the natural high of the body soothing itself did it become pleasurable, the cool sensation of blood hitting the open air as she choose to ignore how hard Ruby's nails dug into her.

The other hand found its way to the recess the ice princess was protecting, a harsh whimper coming every time the leader would trust past her clit and into the moist niche of her body. Their bodies arched into each other, Ruby's breathy moans blaring in her ear. Their sweaty bodies slid against one another, hips gyrating as each one was carrying they to the next plateau. Weiss threw her head back, eyes closed as she couldn't levee the pressure building inside her. Her promise took backseat as she unwillingly let herself be selfish.

"Oh, Ruby! Yes! More... Don't Stop!" the cry of passion echoing in the house. The heat surged inside, her slit oozing fluid as Ruby dutifully kept up her pace, despite the spastic actions of her own passionate play. She felt the final groove with the quivering of her passage, a final calling out to her girlfriend as Weiss arrived. Hips bucked with every wave of pleasure crashing against her, her fluids rushing out and onto Ruby as her body convulsed. Weiss' body fought as long as it could, her body being lowered by her lover gently to the spread. She felt the familiar form of Ruby's body twine around her, a hand placed against her chest assuaging her breathless sides, the other brushing the sweat-soaked bangs from her face.

As she was coming down from the euphoria, her eyes couldn't ignore the burning gaze next to her. With the light baring through, Weiss could clearly see the glint in her partner's eyes, them shining far brighter than before they started. The heiress lazily wrapped her arms around Ruby, pulling the woman closer to her. The glassy water behind her lens cleaned up, the heiress playing with the tinged tips as she spoke. "Impressive as always, but I was sort of hoping to give a little back to my girlfriend battling an existential crisis."

"You don't have to, though. You... you said a lot that helped, and when I ponder it more, I know I'll come out the other side better. Also, you usually are the one that makes me umm... come quicker." Weiss basked in the revelry of her girlfriend's admission, both glowing from the admiration. "And if you don't believe me," Ruby lowly spoke as she took the heiress by the hand, deliberately lowering it to her vessel, the slit still wet, a river pouring from her, "maybe we could test said theory." Weiss would never deny her girlfriend the gratification of reaching orgasm. The heiress traced the landscape of her outer lips, Her breathing hitched as she continued to rally Ruby, kissing her girlfriend one last time before she was lost to the delirium of their love making.

* * *

><p>The couple laid on their sides, a fluttering, but bothersome tickle coming from the heiress' chin traveling south. Weiss was completely drained from the night's romp, but Ruby still had enough in the tank to continue to preen along her neck. "Don't you want to sleep? I thought I had done enough to tucker you out."<p>

"You did," the leader giving a small taste to the salty skin, "but can't help but want more with how well you made love to me."

The ice princess deeply smiled, always appreciated to hear of her efforts a job well done. "Not to take all the credit, but I have a great partner who actively participates." Weiss pulled from Ruby's bottom, the short-haired girl complying as she wiggled her way up to meet the icy gaze. Her hands cupped around the leader's round face, squeezing her cheeks before giving her own proper kiss. "I'm scared to look at the clock. I'm halfway expecting to see the sun creep up behind the curtains we've been going at it for so long."

"Then don't. Just look at me," the leader whispered, Weiss obeying as the loving calm in the gray orbs was evident, the lust more so as a hand thought it was being sneaky. The heiress let it slide, along with her hand picking a preferred haven, the beating of Ruby's heart a steady tempo.

"Really? My butt, Ruby?" Weiss playfully jested, not minded one bit about where her girlfriend's hands chose to lie.

"Yes. It's a small, but a gratifying squeeze," the leader cheekily pressed the ice princess' button. Weiss wouldn't agree with that statement, but she didn't doubt Ruby's appreciation of her body, especially with the many love bites that were dotting it. Weiss brought her nude body closer, her droughty bangs mashed with her partner's as she pressed their foreheads together. As she kept her hand where it was, she could tell the leader's lingering enthusiasm was carried by her libido. Once she quieted down, she was dozing off in Weiss' arms.

The heiress was having slight trouble in falling asleep, the unfamiliar house and awkward way she inadvertently kicked out two tenants weighing heavy on her conscious. "_I need to get Yang and Blake something nice. They were exceedingly accommodating._"

"Weiss," a murmur came from her girlfriend, Weiss unsure if Ruby was sleep-talking or awake spoke quietly to not heedlessly wake her up.

"Ruby?"

"Do you... do you think we'll be together forever, get married, and you know... be happy." The weakness in the question caught Weiss off-guard. She knew she wouldn't solve Ruby's quandary with a few nice words and a smile, but she didn't think it would be this rampant on the leader's mind.

The ice princess brought Ruby in closer, soothing her as she entwined their bodies tighter, hoping for her heart to relax. "Absolutely, Ruby," a tender kiss placed on the leader's lips. "I love you. That will never change."

Weiss squeezed harder, loosening her grip as Ruby's heart stabilized. "I love you too, Weiss."

The heiress' heart was running quicker, the partial untruth keeping her mind racing. "_I wasn't about to give her a spiel on life, a partial truth easier to quell her thoughts at the moment, and frankly I'm not qualified. We can't predict where we'll be in life or how fast we get there, but I know I want you there with me at the end, Ruby._"


	39. Yang: Dying Embers

So did the routine checking of the story/commissions cause I love stats and it seemed I reached the 1k follower mark. I'm a man, which means I cry at every opportunity. Just kidding, in seriousness, I was moved to see this little story pass a landmark I never thought it would ever reach. Bottom of my heart, thank you for everyone that reads, shares, and enjoys the story. To all the people who check out the art that my artist puts a lot of hard work in making them as breathtaking as they are. For lack of better ways to express myself, thank you. It's fucking awesome. As for the chapter, we're going way old school. This is a Yang only chapter. With what I want to do with Yang, it was a disservice to shove in Blake's perspective.

Yang: Dying Embers

The fastest way to feel unsexy is to eat your meal and part of your significant others, Yang undecided on whether of not it was truly a punishment with how good Blake's shrimp scampi was, the blonde tempted to lick the plate clean with the house made sauce. "_How could Dad and Mom even have the energy afterward to make a kid?_" she thought as the taxi drove swifty past the sparse lampposts that dotted the landscape. She rubbed her belly, the food baby inside her kicking with the sharp turns of the driver. "_He's getting a lesser tip with each jerky turn, and if he thinks I don't see him trying to adjust the mirror to peer down my shirt, he's truly oblivious. Still, at least I don't have to be too active tonight._"

Another hand clasped the back of hers, the Faunus peering over to see her girlfriend in a comfortable pain. "You don't learn, do you?" the Faunus keeping the conversation between themselves, out of earshot from the driver and the younger couple in the back.

"Stop ordering good food."

"Stop picking so much off my plate. You know I finish my meals."

"It's a bad habit I'll try and work on." Yang winked to her girlfriend. "Food babies aren't all that bad, though. The responsibility is only until the bloating stops."

"This is a poor way to introduce kids in the future if that's where this conversation is headed."

"Not for a long while, or ever. We just have to concentrate on the two kids in the back. You sure you packed everything?"

"I'll do a once over to make sure I didn't miss anything. Camping will be a nice change of pace from sitting on sleeping bags during missions," Blake pointed out, Yang concurring, always meaning to buy a more comfortable bag, but couldn't find one as slimming as hers. "You don't need me to hold your hand when Ruby asks, right?"

"I'm a big girl now. I don't need you there. I'll admit that I prefer Weiss asking you." The blonde grinned deeply, pursing her lips as Blake came in for a peck on the cheek.

The cab came to a stop, the vision of home bittersweet as she wouldn't be staying in the warm dwelling. Blake was the first out of the car, Yang guessing that she was making sure she stuck to her guns and face Ruby for the always-uncomfortable talk. She reached for her wallet, only for the heiress to beat her to the punch with a stack of Lien. "Here you go, Sir. Thank you for driving us."

The blonde forcefully shoved the arm down, handing her own money over. "I think you'll see mine is more generous a tip." Yang motioned the heiress to back away. The ice princess receded, knowing she was in trouble for her sly actions back at the restaurant.

The three women exited, Yang purposefully doddling with a subtle argument to give Blake more time to find the finer alcohols in the cabinets. "I know this isn't the first time you took a taxi, but etiquette stands that whomever is in the front seat pays, Weiss."

"It was no big deal. It was your romantic dinner before it became our anniversary celebration. Don't sweat it, Yang," the heiress poked back. The blonde would one day have to sit her down, knowing Ruby lets her girlfriend treat her a lot is normal and teaching her the commoner rules would be lost. She reached over, getting the heiress under her arm to give her a rough tussling on her hair before departing.

"I won't too much, but let others treat you. I don't have to remind you about our troubles with gift giving," the blonde lightly scolded, letting Weiss free to prim and pomp herself, Yang joking that she might want to look as perfect as she can before hitting the sheets, as if Ruby cared at this point. She wanted to make her way to the house, the silence growing awkward as she waited for the big question to be asked. She looked to Weiss who was looking at Ruby, and Yang knew from the furrowed, worried gaze that something was up.

She stopped herself from reaching out, remembering why the night was celebrated for. "_I need to keep myself out of this one. Ruby's not an adult, but she thinks like one. She doesn't need me, not when Weiss has been so capable and dutiful in the past year_."

Before Yang jumped the gun, Ruby finally eked out. "Umm... Yang. We, I mean, I need to ask you something," Ruby stammered out.

"Yeah, Ruby. Shoot it." Yang proud she was able to mask her worry, the leader doing that enough as she saw her sister almost crushing Weiss' hand, eyes not even making contact with hers.

"Yang... I-I hate doing this, especially since its our house, but-but Weiss and I were hoping for a little private time. It-it's our anniversary and..."

"_It's worse than I thought. Not even when she first asked for the room was she this nervous. I should... No. You let Ruby go a long time ago. I'll just wish Weiss all the best and make this part as painless as it can be._"

"You can stop where you are, Ruby," the blonde interrupted. "I don't want you popping a vein asking me like you always do. Blake and I were actually smart enough to know you'd ask. It's the reason we took so long getting ready. We decided to rough it and have a little beach camping." Yang's saw her words take effect, a little glimmer of Ruby's natural energy returning as she spoke. "I'll go and help her out. Wait five minutes and we'll use the backyard gate to leave."

Her motherly side couldn't be fully restrained, the blonde embraced the two in a hug, hoping to comfort her little sister. "Wow. Thanks, Yang," Weiss showing her appreciation.

"No problem. Have fun." The blonde flashed a smile as she put an extra skip in her step to the safe confines of her home. She headed for her room, her goal deterred as she caught the stove lamp on. She peered in, seeing her Faunus and an opportunity. Blake's tight end was high for Yang's viewing and preying pleasure. She licked her lips, the hunt upon her as she flexed her muscles, hand at the ready for a hard, but loving, slap on the butt. The clattering of glass masked her footsteps, Yang raising her hand in triumph as she was reading her downswing.

"You goose me while I'm in here, I will go the to motel we passed by," Blake caught Yang, the blonde huffing as she was inches away from grasping the taunt seat.

"Fine. What are you looking for anyway?"

"Something a little special. I am feeling a decent buzz from the wine. No reason to let that feeling whisk away when there is so much alcohol is at our disposal," Blake explained, Yang also feeling the lucid fun of the strong beverage. "This is all just not worth the time and effort I packed ice and glasses for. Your dad drinks whiskey, right?"

"Yes?" the blonde having to answer with her own curious question as she didn't know what her girlfriend was getting at. The Faunus got up, heading for her dad's office, Yang drawn to her partner's inclination as she walked behind his desk.

"Is he left-handed or right-handed?"

"Right? What's going on here?" Yang too late to ask more as the Faunus propped open the first drawer and pulled out a premium bottle of whiskey, violet eyes popping as she hadn't thought of her dad a recreational drinker.

"With your permission, we'll take this with us and have a few glasses to toast the night."

Yang came over and inspected the bottle, uncapping and taking in the bold, luscious butterscotch scent as she inhaled from the bottle. "I always had a hunch a little of Uncle Qrow rubbed off on him. He did say work has been rather stressfully combative with the staff. I don't even want to bring this up to him when I found it so underhandedly."

"Sorry I went snooping then. If you drink, you want to keep the good stuff near. Didn't think it would be a problem." Blake's ears pinned under the bow, the guilt felt all around the room as Yang felt she uncovered a shameful secret.

"He was a good dad self-soothing with this long ago, so I'll let it slide," the blonde hoping that this coping mechanism was temporary as she tucked the bottle under her arm. "I wish I knew about this a few years ago. An ex and I would have to drink the cheap stuff and..."

Yang caught her tongue before divulging any further, a callous scowl forming as her girlfriend was waiting for her excuse. "I mean, I used to drink this alone. Like father, like daughter," the nervous laughter not enough to deter the Faunus' displeasure. "I'll just go back to being quiet."

Blake gave a hard, yet supportive pat on the back. "Come on. We ought to move before there's another embarrassing accident with the other two."

Speaking of being a good parent, Yang was reminded of Ruby. " Blake, before we go, can you check outside the window and make sure those two are doing OK?"

"Sure. You mind explaining to me on why we're spying on your sister."

"On the way. Just, please, do this for me." Yang crossed her fingers as she waited for the Faunus to peer through the blind's slits.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Is it good or bad?"

"Good. So good that we really should have been out the door a minute ago." The urgency in her girlfriend's voice was clear that it was a picture best left to the imagination. Yang helped out with the gear, pushing her and Blake out the backyard as the mental five minute timer in her head went off. In the darkness, the fractured moon blanketed the island shores with its white light, making their trek to the spot visually appealing. "So, what was that back there?"

"Ruby didn't look too well for someone who was celebrating her anniversary. I was just making sure that we weren't leaving the house to be ground zero for a massive fight."

"I'm not trying to sound condescending, but I thought you cut the umbilical with your sister. She doesn't need you mothering over her anymore." Blake's sincerity in the comment showed through, but it still carried the sting as Yang knew she was right.

"I did and I could have tried to stitch it together back there. I wouldn't mind a little more credit for my actions."

A hand twined around hers as they ran, a warm smile accompanying the Faunus as she spoke. "It's still beautiful to see how much you care. Not everyone had the responsibility you had. As a pseudo-mother, I think you're handling it very well."

"Thanks, Blake," the blonde bringing the back of the Faunus' hand to her lips. "I solemnly swear to be be this behaved when our kids start leaving the nest."

The Faunus rolled her eyes. "You need to stop imagining what our kids could look like, especially when it's not possible for any one of them to have both our genes."

"What can I say, I'm a sucker for cat ears." Seeing as the town was a few flickering yellow lights in the distance, Yang peeled off the black ribbon guise from her girlfriend. "They're paw-sitively adorable."

"I'm breaking up with you," the Faunus lacing some of the seriousness in her tone as none of the student body had to put up with as many bad puns as her.

"Fur real, this time? You've got to be kitten me." Yang took the knife and twisted it as she saw the agonizing pain of how rough the jokes were to hear.

The couple ran until they hit the shore, the gentle waves crashing down muffling the hustle and bustle of the city that was winding down. Blake noticed the area right away, not there a day ago when getting ready for a White Fang take down. Yang and a lot of the locals new of this place when they were kids, the rocky cove that they were settling in a place to romp around as kids and to get intimate as teenagers. As much as she would have loved to revisit history with her girlfriend, she was content in sharing this magical place with her.

The tent was mostly for privacy, the blonde knowing her Faunus would curl up with her on the chilly winter night. She was excited to put together a tent, not having done it since Uncle Qrow took her and Ruby past the boarders for a weekend excursion three years ago. It was when she was assembling the poles and pounding stakes into the ground, she was grateful for the amount of effort Beacon was training them to go without luxuries, some of them not worth the hassle.

At the breaking point, before smashing the polycotten shelter, she bashed the last pole, Yang wholly satisfied with a sloppy assembly to get to drinking and lazing about. Blake's job was far more simpler, laying out the massive blanket for the two to share, the Faunus halfway through her first glass as she invited her partner over. Yang took a seat, the soft sand beneath molding to her. "You really were determined to not help me."

"After those jokes, no. Also, I do remember an overly-cocky response of 'I've got this. I've done it a hundred times.'" Blake placed a few cubes into the artisan glass, pouring a healthy helping of the liquor. The Faunus handed over the cup already raised, Yang gripping and clanging the glass in cheers fashion before taking a sip. She almost coughed from the strong taste, enlivened by touches of stone fruit, lychee, and a faint hint of smoke, but went down gentle and smooth with an earth flavor.

"Dad sure knows what the good stuff is." The blonde tipped the glass to let the liquid brush against her lips, licking off the enriching essence. Yang felt the wind creep up, the winter ocean air she remembered to be quite brutal, even for her aura. She slung an arm around Blake, her Faunus happily getting under her wing as she huddled with her lover, hand finding its way to the back of her partner's black pants to keep a firm grasp of an asset her holds dear.

The two sat in a comfortable silence, finally able to stop and appreciate the world when a Grimm or The White Fang wasn't causing them to run past all the majesty of nature. Both were so enraptured by the deeper blue, that they forgot how far they were from the massive beacon that is the city of Vale, the sky lighting up with the millions of little stars that surrounded the massive moon. "This is the part of the missions that are the most relaxing and stressful," Blake commented.

"Why's that?"

"You see must how small we are in the universe, but that smallness makes me feel closer to everything on this planet. We're all in the same solar system, flying on the same rock, living under the same sky. I always found it quite beautiful as a kid, but that might have been me trying to outstretch myself in living to a world that I was separated from."

Yang, touched by Blake's words, moved her hand to a spot that held some sentimentality in the moment. Her fingers were gentle, yet firm, as she massaged that back of the Faunus' ears, "I think it's still beautiful."

Even under the repressed mirth, the blonde knew she had Blake in a vice grip of delight. Yang wasn't lying when she mentioned the elegant wisdom in Blake's observations, the fingertips digging in her thigh and nuzzling of her thick, black mane didn't break her from pondering the message. "_Is Mom looking at the same sky right now?_" the blonde's heart feeling a twinge of pain that she hadn't let herself have in so long, she almost couldn't remember what it felt like. "_Are you even alive at this point? My guess is yes. Dad, with the limited knowledge he'd let me have of you, said you were the most stellar of huntresses and bested the rest of the team time and time again. That's what angers me most. Assuming you're alive, then why haven't you tried to come back or even attempt some contact with me or Dad? Didn't you have some form a conscious to leaving a loving man and infant daughter when you up and left. Apparently not because you're not here. You're somewhere off being selfish. Dad would never tell me the reason why, just that one day you went out the door and never came back. I'm tired of not knowing. I'm tired of forcing myself to look forward because you were never able to look back_."

It wasn't until a new sensation hit her cheek was Yang brought out of her raging thoughts, the warm, slick sensation of Blake's lips hitting her jawline, desperate to make their way to a more satisfying destination. On reflex, the blonde leaned down and met the Faunus' kiss. The bitterness subsided with her girlfriend in such an enchanted affect, amber eyes glowing, the glaze of love, lust, and the couple cups of whiskey present as the enamored Faunus was having her fun. "_It's hard to be in a bad mood when you're this cuddly. Then again, how couldn't you be so happy? I'd still be standing on the highest point of Vale shouting from the top of my lungs from feeling that accomplishment. Or maybe... I wouldn't. I'd actually need to do something worthy of that gratifying feeling._"

She didn't know if it was alcohol giving her a flair for the dramatic, or if she was finding the urge for a mature conversation, but she couldn't help asking a question that was weighing on her. "What do you see when you look up at the stars?"

The Faunus stopped her nesting in Yang's long locks, giving an honest look at the sky above. The blonde too was getting lost in the back nothingness, the many white spectacles that were dotting the landscape seemed so clustered, but knew they were billions of miles apart. The massive fractured marker in the sky was the closest, but even that was several hundred miles away, though its ominous presence made it feel like it was over her shoulder on tense missions at night.

"Insignificant," Blake murmured out, the bleak answer Yang feeling right with her. "I look around us, our city, the people who inhabit it, and we are so complacent in life that we forget to appreciate it. I'm sure I'm wrong, but we may very well be the most intelligent beings in the galaxy, at least enough to consciously feel life. Then I see the anger, the hate, the wars we start. All of this bloodshed and segregation of the Faunus. Grimm are mindless, born from fear, act on instinct to survive. We are no different and it should be. When I look up, it makes me see fighting and all of the squabbles of men pathetic and pitiful when we waste life so senselessly."

Yang surreptitiously moved the bottle of whiskey far behind her back as the conversation got too abysmally stark for her liking, the blonde taking the extra step of pulling the half-filled glass of the Faunus, Blake not letting go. "I'm not drunk. You wouldn't have asked that question if you didn't want an honest answer." She knew it to be true, the blonde locked eyes with her girlfriend, a stern worry behind the lens. "What do you see?"

The question struck a harder chord when asked back to her, not ready to answer, doing the best she could as she stumbled through it. The inky blackness enveloped her as she looked back towards the stars. "I see an adventure that's worth taking. It's as they say, the final frontier. It's about visiting strange new worlds, seeing what's out there for us. There's only so much we can observe, speculate on from here. It's worth the effort to see, even if we go out there and the answers we find turn our world upside down. It's like you said, complacency could be the bane of unhappiness which is why we seek out knowledge. Some truths about to the world we live in may be hard to swallow, but I think I'll end up on the other side better."

Quite proud she was able to convey that so articulately, perhaps too well, as her Faunus pointed out. "You said 'I'."

"What?"

"You were using the collective 'we' through most of that. You used 'I' at the very end. Why?" the Faunus inquired, the blonde tensing up at the marksman accuracy of her perception. She wanted to lie, dance around the subject a bit. She didn't know if she was ready, but Blake would respect any thoughts she might be having.

"I was... I was thinking more about it and maybe it's time I dig up some more information about my mother," Yang confessed, the impact not lost as Blake moved from her nesting post atop the blonde's shoulder, amber eyes worried for her girlfriend.

"Really? Why now?"

"My curiosity is getting the better of me. I'm envious to see you successfully battling something from your past and seeing you so happy. I can't sit still for five seconds and want to go explore. Pick your theory, but what I think is happening is that I can no longer be content with the truncated amount of information that's be given to me about her. I know so little about my mother, just her name, a few pictures I have from her and the team, and how skilled a huntress she was. I don't even know the real reason why she left. I guess, when I was young, I was content with knowing so little. It was easy for Dad to feed me a meager serving so he could avoid talking about it himself. I was always afraid to bring it up, especially as a single-dad. I didn't have the heart to rock the boat, especially when everything had been going so smoothly and love him enough to respect his space. However, I'm an adult now. That amount of information isn't enough to satisfy the questions anymore. I need to know more. I need to know all of it, and if I can, I want to meet her."

Yang felt good to get that off her chest, particularly from the tender care she received from the Faunus, a firm hand placed along her heart, as if massaging the hurt feeling from her body. "I hope this conversation wasn't put on hold because of my mess with Adam."

"No. Don't worry about that. It actually was when I was talking with Ruby. I was proud that I was able to walk away from that situation and trust that Weiss was able to tend to my little sister. But that came from eighteen years of me taking care of her, getting to know Weiss as a person, and coming to terms that Ruby is an adult as doesn't need me to be her mother anymore. What sort of mother just abandons her baby?" The blonde couldn't work up a tear, her more frustrated with her question than sad, and she couldn't fathom, after what's gone through with Ruby, how her mom could be so cold.

The deflation of the fun was clearly evident with the comfortable silence that the two were so used to became silent introspection, Blake not even having words to convey some sort of meaningful remark to balance the tension. The Faunus lay her head lower, closer to Yang's heart as she was doing her best to manage her girlfriend's plagued thoughts. The blonde was not lost on the hurt, a hand stroking down the dark mane, thankful for the pair of ears that listened. "I'm sorry, Blake. I didn't mean to ruin the good times."

Blake took Yang's glass, expecting her to put it aside, but instead pouring the rest of her whiskey from her share. "Don't be. If it wasn't this good time, it would be another. Do keep drinking, however. It wouldn't hurt to get a bit more tipsy." The blonde was never one to soothe with exogenous substances, but this one time couldn't hurt, taking a generous swig before pouring a little more into Blake's glass. "What are you going to say to your dad tomorrow?"

"I don't know. Thank you for being the greatest dad ever, but now you're answers aren't good enough so give up info on one of the hardest moments of your past so I can be happy. It's rough, but I'll find a way to refine it before seeing him. I... I am going to feel a little guilty tomorrow. Yes, my dad was sad when my mother left, but Summer picked him up, dusted him off, and I believe was his one true love. They were in love enough to give me my little sister, the perfect gift, and up until her passing a beautifully bliss childhood. Why even go further back to a time that I can't even remember? It's not like I'm going to find something that's going to change any preconceived notions I have of her."

"If you believed that then you wouldn't be whining about it?"

"Hey. Uncalled for."

"Allow me to refine then. You wouldn't be fretting about it if your heart didn't believe that to be completely true." the Faunus' hand pressing harder into Yang's chest, as if to get a better feel on it. "I'm not saying it will all be rays of sunshine, but it'll be worth uncovering whatever you find. You're going to have to trust me on this one."

Yang couldn't deny that the situation with Adam couldn't have brought up similar feelings. She remembered the darker days where Blake wouldn't even be present, always slipping away when Yang wasn't watching to not spread her bad mood and to internalize her feelings. Blake was so strong, a model for what Yang hopes to be when she asks her dad. The blonde pressed her lips between the cat ears, the Faunus delighted with the fluttering tickling her cheeks. "I may need some generous pushing tomorrow."

"I wouldn't count on me. You never pushed me to do something I wasn't ready for. Even if you never follow up on this, and this whole night was some weird, dejected cry for attention, I'm still obliged that you took the time to open up. I'd be lying if I wasn't curious about your mom. After meeting your dad, I've wondered what kind of woman she was," Blake answered, the blonde realizing that as open as she is, there is some glaring spots in her own life that are mysterious to the person she trusts most.

"Thanks, Blake. I sort of feel the same. As somber as that sounds, you know as much as I do." The blonde took another drink, anticipating the nerves she'll have tomorrow when she asks her dad. The fire inside her wasn't dead, just murmured, Yang giving her attempt to light the mood after the heavy talk. "So, when do I get to meet your parents?"

"Whenever they decide to start talking to me. It's not like they don't know where I am with how often I'm in the news. I'll happily let you join me if they ever invite me back for dinner." Blake more amused with her parental ordeal. Yang brought her in closer, not simply because she wanted to feel closer to her lover, but the extra helping of whiskey was breaking down the barriers of proper behavior as her friskiness was flaring.

After finishing her cup, it wasn't too long after as the hand that was gently petting her Faunus, was roaming around more erogenous areas, Blake quick to swat her hand away every time. "Yang, if you don't stop your shenanigans, I'm going to throw you in the ocean."

"That almost sounds like a threat, Miss Belladonna. Why don't we make a peaceful, amicable decision and go have a little skinny dip?" Yang suggested, fingers trying to get past her girlfriend's pants, hooking to the elastic of her thong as she kept squirming away.

Her actions were saying no, but the glee being ill-confined by the smile she was sporting was telling a different story. Yang understands the word 'no', but took the risk as she grabbed Blake by the hips, hoisting her high above her head before slinging her over her shoulder. She made a mad dash for the ocean, the Faunus writhing wasn't making it easy, and neither was the water. She almost screamed and ran back to the safer part of the shore when her toes curled up as it hit the dark blue. She carried on, trudging knee deep before lobbing her girlfriend in the frigid waters. The Faunus panicked and screamed, Yang keeping her to the wintery waters. Blake backed away only for her to whip a ribbon under water and yank her in the chilled slush with her.

The spirited antics were snuffed out quicker than expected, even the heat from her semblance was having an arduous time keeping up with the dipping temperatures of the water, both women hugging each other in the end, neither wanting to accede to the other being too cold to be in the water. Yang agreed with some reluctance because she knew Blake to be stubborn enough to have her whole body go numb before letting her have the last laugh.

Yang lead her out of the water, aura burning bright as the heat was well received by both. At the end, she got a small wish granted in her inebriated state. "Oh no. I'm so cold and wet. Soaked to the bone even. I think it's in our best interest to take off all our clothes and..."

Blake didn't let her finish, pushing and kicking Yang into the tent, undressing herself as she spoke. "You pull this again, I will not be this nice, but get naked and get me warm. I've been less cold on desert nights."

The blonde didn't need to be told twice, Yang getting the Faunus undressed first, admiring the body she loved so much for a moment before the Faunus' fingers wrestled with the rest of Yang's ensemble. Clothes were strewn across the tent, the couple under two blankets, her partner molding to her form as Yang's arms wrapped her up from behind. "Thanks for playing along with all this. I needed a distraction."

"Anytime, but the warning before was real. If that happens again, make it a hot spring," Blake demanded, Yang kissing the back of her neck, promising one day to treat her to such a lascivious luxury.

The squawking barks of seagulls wasn't the best sounds to wake up to, neither the humidity in the tent, nor the heavy smell of salt that coated the raven locks of her girlfriend. Yang woke up, regretting the camping trip idea when roughing it on a mission seemed like a more joyous recreation. The blonde glided her hands along the Faunus' robust body, regretting the impromptu skinny dipping as her skin was as sticky as glue. She got up, carefully scanning the small space for her panties. The night drying in soaking salty water had the cottony softness stiff, Yang sure she was covering her undercarriage in sand paper as she was pulling them up.

The rustling of clothes stirred the Faunus awake, Yang noticing the same grunts and disappointing moans as she too was figuring out the situation. The Faunus covered herself as best she could, the cold sweeping through the thin covering with her human space heater away. Yang was thoughtful enough to gather Blake's clothes, handing over her bra as her girlfriend's brain was waking up.

"I don't know what time it is, but judging from the seagull's shadows," the blonde opening the flap of the tent to check the length of the cover, "I'd say it's a little bit before ten. I'm hungry and Ruby and Weiss are always nice enough to give us till noon to clean up."

Blake let the elastic snap on her thong, the same brittle feeling evident on her face as she rubbed her fingers on her pant fabric. "Only if the place we eat isn't too far. I think my skin will take too much abrasive chaffing."

"I couldn't agree more," Yang said as she rolled up her jeans. "There's a diner that serves a pretty mean brew down the street. "

The couple cleaned up their site, Yang not super pleased she and her girlfriend looked like a couple of vagabonds with their traveling gear and hair a hot mess, the salt drying out their shine and tangling it into disarray. Blake gave her a rub on the back, eyes conveying how she felt, her lilac makeup smeared around the edges. If they were going to look terrible, at least it was together.

After a cheerful talk and a well-prepared breakfast, the two headed home. Yang was hesitant before opening the door. Having left her scroll behind to contact Ruby, she didn't know is she was impeding on good times being had. With a deep breath, she entered, the silence settling the worry in her stomach as she crept down the hall. The bathroom door opened, billows of steam pouring out as the heiress stepped out in a towel, white hair bound up in a head wrap. Her refreshed nature didn't notice the two until the stench of ocean air came wafting in.

Weiss double-taked, unnecessarily shielding her mostly naked form as the large towel she was using was Yang's favorite, the soft, fluffy material almost reaching the edge of her feet. As pristine the ice princess looked, the blonde could easily spot the many purplish marks dotting the lithe frame. "So I assume you had fun."

"Yes-yes, but what happened to you girls last night." Weiss shielded her nose from the smell. "Were you taking part in a homeless romp through the garbage?"

"No. She got a little too much in her and ended up in the ocean," Blake seethingly explained.

"And on that note, move." Yang lead her girlfriend in the bathroom as she maneuvered past the heiress. Before she locked the door behind them, she popped her head out for one last advice. "Dad's coming home soon. I'm sending Blake and Ruby out with you after a shower to find the right foundation for you. The fastest way to make Dad turn on you is not be subtle with the sex you're having with his daughter."

"So, when did I offer my services to her?" Blake justifiably asked as she kicked off her boots. About to peel off her clothes, the blonde motioned her hands down and started up the shower.

"When I decided last night that I was talking to my dad and, I never thought I'd say this, but we're keeping our clothes on. I do not want this stench sitting in the laundry basket contaminating my room," the blonde seeing that her reasoning was back-handed as the Faunus' brow curled, it partially hidden as the water meshed her bangs down her face. Yang wiped them away, giving the Faunus an honest apology. "Sorry. I don't want anyone around if there's shouting, or arguing... crying."

The preemptive emotions flooded her, expecting all those and a few more from what she could uncover. Blake locked her girlfriend in a deep embrace, "I'll keep those two out of the house as long as I can. Pretty sure I can convince Ruby to take me around to some of the local sight-seeing. I want you to text me if you need me... support and all that."

Yang's mouth curled, intensifying the hug as she pushed the Faunus up the the wall, blonde mane soaking under the shower head, wet locks draping over Blake's shoulders as she gave her a shaken kiss.

* * *

><p>Flipping through her scroll to see her name in the headlines was flattering, but Yang was always disappointed with how little detail was put in the effort behind the job. "<em>All politics and no flair. This is why traditional news is no longer being read.<em>"

She heard keys behind the front door, Yang jumping off the living room couch, her dad perplexed to see his more carefree daughter at attention. "Hello, Yang. Is it just you around or...?"

"No. It's just me. I wasn't feeling too well so I decided to sit back and not be a burden."

"Always looking out for others. I raised you well. You need me to get you anything? An ice pack, or some soup?"

"No-no, nothing like that... but there is something you could help me with," Yang feeling the lump in her throat creeping up as her dad's earnest look was going to be torn down with her request.

"What is it?"

"I... I was always wondering who Mom was and maybe some other things about her," the blonde barely able to get the sentence out, kicking herself for not rehearsing it more. The blackout stillness from the room was painful to sit through, Yang watching her father unravel in discomfort as the question caught him off guard.

"I-I can assume this is specifically directed towards your mother, not Summer," Taiyang inquired, the blonde shaking her head in agreement. The man exhaled gravely, the gravel in his voice evident as he gestured his daughter to follow him. "I always knew this day would come. I actually wanted to do it long ago, when you were able to process all the adult situations. I never wanted to hide this from you, but I was never willing to bring it up either, and for that, I'm sorry."

"Don't be, Dad. You were trying to protect me. It's hard to be mad at you for that."

"There's a fine line between protecting and sheltering you from the truth. Least I'm consistent with both you girls," Taiyang lamented as they entered his office, the man rummaging through the closet. A box was recovered, the man blowing off and rubbing as much of the layer a dust as he could before presenting it to Yang, the words 'kitchen stuff' scratched out and written next to it 'Raven'. "I'm sure you have a thousand questions for me, and I'll answer every single one of them after you go through what I decided to keep of your mother and I's relationship. These will probably answer them better than I could."

"Thanks Dad." Yang took the box from him, surprised by its lightness despite the size. Her dad placed hands across her shoulders, his gaze vulnerable as he spoke.

"I want you to remember, when you're going through this, that your mother and I always loved you." The man gave a kiss on her forehead before he let her go. "Come back to the office if you need some... explanation."

Yang didn't like the ominous tone of explanation in her dad's words, but she didn't expect it to find the most pleasing of answers in the box. Yang closed her bedroom door behind her, plopping the package on her bed, hesitant to open it as if she'd find a severed head behind the lids. After a few rounds of pacing and a couple of glasses of water, she had built up enough courage to get past the cardboard barrier.

Not much was in there as suspected. Only a scroll, what looked like a scrapbook, and a few mementos. The scroll was the one that would have the most information, Yang forgetting that the battery for this ancient model must have run out years ago as she enthusiastically tried to turn it on. The wall chargers for scrolls are ridiculously short, the blonde bound to the wall, impatient in waiting for the flashing indicator that it's ready to be booted on agonizing. Till that time, she perused the box looking for anything that was some clue to her mother.

She carefully inspected the mementos, Yang assuming they were more sentimental to Taiyang as they looked like items from a date. Other than the obvious of Raven enjoying the quirky antics of her father, there was nothing there for her. The scrapbook seemed more appealing than a fork that Yang knew he was trying to woo her mother by balancing it at the edge of a glass. She cracked open the binding, the first picture satisfying enough. It was all of the old team. Her dad, Uncle Qrow, and both her mom and mother.

"_It's weird to say it like that. That Summer is Mom, but Raven is mother. Stranger is honestly just as good a term. This picture is kind of making me ill. Nobody likes seeing their parents so in love. This must have been way back then they were my age,_" Yang commented. Her mother's brilliant black mane was towards the camera, head buried in her dad's face as they snuggled it up for the picture. "_I really hope I don't look this bad whenever I take a picture with Blake. Oh... it gets worse._"

The next few pages were selfies of her parents at various locations, ranging from very little to inappropriate mounts of personal displays of affection. Yang knew her dad liked to be cheeky, but it seemed her mother was more fond of the lecherous fun. It wasn't as easy to pin-point some natural behaviors that she shared with her mother through pictures, but it was nigh-impossible to say that the woman with the bad puns shirt, sparkling red eyes, and generous bust wasn't her mother.

Like a time line, she uncovered what was most important, her pregnancy. She always had a hunch that she was an accident, the lack of wedding photos and sudden appearance of a baby belly was her giveaway. "_I want to scold Dad for not being careful, but hard to argue when his spontaneous inattentiveness led to my birth._" She flipped though the last bit of pages, either not too many happy memories after the pregnancy or that's when her mother stopped coming by altogether after she was born. She remembered Ruby's baby photo. Summer was holding her to a two-year old Yang, the amount of joy and happiness incalculable as she saw the happiness on their faces. Eyes welled up, the pictures blurring behind the tears as Yang was doing her best to keep it together.

She slammed the book shut before a tear stained the pages, Yang wiping the moisture from her eyes, taking a few deep breathes before diving into darker waters. She would let herself become a bubbling mess if it came to it, but she still had a more important device to go through. The scroll blinked repeatedly, Yang turning it on and waited for the old tech to be ready. The background was of the trees outside their house, the old icons of outdated apps littering the screen. She expanded the screen, Yang bringing up documents, pictures. and video of anything from that past. Luckily, her Dad was good at organizing, the video folder labeled 'Raven pregnant' easy to find.

She opened the first one, seeing it as any best place to start. Shot from the perspective of her dad, her mother and an unborn Yang starring in the home movie.

"So... how are my girls doing?" the overly chipper Taiyang gleefully asked from behind the scroll.

"We're doing great," Raven explained as she was sitting at the couch, eating relatively unhealthy, but Yang knew nothing about dieting and pregnancy. Considering she turned out fine, she let the mounds of food containers and grease slide. "The last day of work wasn't bad. I wasn't happy at the desk job, especially when I wasn't allowed to send out another team to do some extensive Grimm research, and they were really underpaying me. Just one last time, before I burn any bridges, you're alright with supporting us until I'm back on my feet?"

"Absolutely. Don't even worry about it. We'll probably have to dip into our savings a bit, but we should be shaking it up a lot of our lives for our child." Her dad got up close and personal as the camera was inches away from Raven's face. "Even if you chose not to come back, I'll figure out a way to support us. I'm sure saying I have a kid now gets me a better chance at promotion."

"Don't get too complacent. A kid won't change our lives that much," her mother said. Yang wondering if she is this naive at times when it comes to situations.

Yang skimmed through the rest, knowing her dad accidentally left the camera on as the video was almost an hour long. She selected farther down the line, this time her mother enormously showing how pregnant she was.

"You are like... can I finally say it?" her dad innocently asked.

"You can't, but I can. I'm crazy fat. I think I'm giving birth to a hippo," the woman in frame using her palms to level out her back, Yang feeling sort of bad that she was a big burden. She remembered Summer's body being much slimmer. "At least my boobs are huge."

"Were you really looking for a bigger cup size? You are fairly big enough..."

"I was being sarcastic," a sting of venom in her voice as she replied.

"Look, hormones aside, I thought we agreed to keep it mellow and..."

"I don't think you have a say in how I get to react." Raven slammed her hands on the counter, the sandwich spreads spilling onto the floor with the amount of force behind the impact. "This pregnancy is killing me. I can't work out, I barely can make the effort to go to the store, I barely have the energy to do anything at all. I get horrible sleep and carrying this strapless keg around my stomach is exhausting."

"Now, Honey, nobody said pregnancy would be easy." Taiyang doing his best to defused his girlfriend.

"They should really rephrase that because it certainly looks easy from your end. You're life didn't change..." Yang lowered the volume. Parents yelling wasn't foreign to her, but it's been a long time since she's heard her dad shout and use such vulgarity to another person, let alone someone he loved.

Yang flipped down aimlessly and hit the bottom of the folder, the last video of a large wall, shadows puttering on it, the blonde inevitably turning up the volume with them already mid-fight.

"Stop trying to live in your denial, Taiyang!" she could hear Raven shouting in the background. "And don't you dare shush me. I was the one that put her down. I'll do it again because of your incompetence."

"I'm gone out of the house for eight hours for work. I would love nothing, but to be with my child more so I can get better at this being-a-dad thing. I would consider you lucky."

"It's not lucky. It's a burden. She's like a crying, pooing, eater of all the money, free time, and dreams that we can't compensate for!" Raven only getting started. "I can't go back to out there because we can't afford proper child care. Don't pull that being a 'mom' is a job. It doesn't pay and it was never on my plan, Taiyang. You were the one who wanted a family, and you know what, I probably would have warmed up to the idea a decade from now. I'm twenty, have a child in wedlock, and have been grounded to being on a 'career' that I never wanted to be a part of! I was onto something before I quit. Something that would have blown the lid off of what we know about Grimm."

"Look!" her dad giving the same volatile reaction Yang does when she gets into arguments with Blake. "We're dumb, we made a mistake, but this is the best course of how to handle it and I feel it's a lot better than you're assuming it's going."

"No. You're dumb and delusional to think that this was the best course. You shot down all the others that would have solved this little problem. That kid has and will continue to ruin my life. I was never meant to be a mother. I'm a huntress and I'm going back to being one."

"Wait, Raven! You can't leave. Yang needs us both. I can't take care of her by myself."

"You're resourceful. I'm sure you'll think of something!" Heavy boots came closer to the scroll. "Also, I've overheard you and Summer have very intimate conversations behind my back. I'm sure she's been waiting for an opportunity like this. I'm sure she'll jump right on the next soiled diaper." The camera shook and rattled, the red eyes looking back at Yang. "And you left this thing on record again. How hard is it to press the stop button?"

Yang couldn't take anymore of what was on the scroll, the woman swiping away the windows closed as she buried her face in her knees. "_How could she... how could she say that about me?_" the blonde barely able to think with how the emotions swirled inside her. "_How could she just up and leave? What work was more important than your only daughter?_" Her jeans tough material was not enough, tears bleeding through,Yang never having cried this hard before. "_I'm glad that I was some inconvenience. I knew I wasn't planned, but the idea of not having me at all seemed a little bit too drastic, don't you think, mother? My existence might as well be incidental. What's the point of my life if I was never wanted in the first place._"

A buzz came from her scroll, Yang pulling it out because the message was from the person she needed to talk to. "_Is everything gong alright? I still have a few ideas up my sleeve to keep them busy._" Blake's message read, Yang barely able to reply with her body shaking, unsure if her message was coherent with eyes clouded with fluid.

"_Use all of them._"


	40. Ruby: Companion Planting

Hello again. I'll keep it short. My artist, Bakki, has been working a little slower due to an injury, the the art should be ready, hopefully, within the month. By the next update, I hope it to be mostly done. I realized today is April fool's. I halfway considered putting a chapter where everyone dies or something just horrible happens, and re-uploading this one in proper, but just time got away from me. I would've loved to see the reviews to that. Thanks for reading, reviewing, follow/faving and sharing.

Ruby: Companion Planting

"You've got to be a lot faster than that, Cardin," Ruby taunted as she zipped past the tall man, his mace having the power, but not the speed to be challenging Ruby and Weiss. The leader was running at such a leisurely pace that she would glance over to see her girlfriend fighting. Ruby always found the grace and elegance of her partner's attacks beautiful, almost stunning with the pinpoint lethality of her every move. The angelic glow from her glyphs, the burning prism of colors when she activates her dust chambers in Myrtenaster, and the foggy mist from dispensing ice justice added to the flash of her fight.

As she was at ease watching Weiss toy with Russel, Cardin was able to get sneaky. A tug at her neckline had the women on the floor, tripping on her own feet to see the underhanded tactic from him. His hand was heavily wrapping itself around the ends of Ruby's cloak, the leader seeing how quickly the tides had turned as she was forced to a more close-quarters combat. "How about I make you slower?"

The leader waited for Glynda's call of foal play, but it seemed she was locked in a loophole to the rules. Ruby rose to the challenge, choosing to stand and fight instead of unfastening herself from the treasured garment. She shortened up Crescent Rose's length, the weapon still to long for the tight closeness between them. Cardin didn't waste any time, attacking the woman with as much brute force as he could. While solo handling his mace, he was still slow, but the power he delivered coursed through the metal of Ruby's weapons, each blow a painful reminder in her hands that she needs to get out of this.

The locked zone had her defense weakened, Crescent Rose not built, nor her skills tailored to be hammered as hard she she was. Each awkward attempt to block Cardin's mace had a bit of his massive weapon connecting with her forearms. She took a gamble, not wanting to stretch out her cloak further, but not finding another choice. As Cardin came down for a hard swing, she leaned into his pull, a swift dodge to his left, and set off her semblance. Nearly choking her as she came to an abrupt stop, she was glad to have her plan work, Cardin falling with her to the floor as both his arm are bound to the sides of his body. Through a large coughing fit, Ruby extended her scythe, placing the match point as she held the weapon proud against his throat.

"And that is game, set, match. Ruby and Weiss receive full marks," Glynda stated, the few claps from the rest of Team RWBY coming from the stands. Cardin wore a scowl, mumbling out a 'good match' as Ruby helped him out of her cloak binding. She instinctively made sure there were no tears, the material her mother used so long ago once again proving resilient to just about any horseplay or battle. She mentally flicked herself as the cloak took the slight priority over her girlfriend, Weiss sitting, waiting patiently as she knew the routine at this point.

The heiress was sat next to her defeated opponent. Myrtenaster pinned next to the mohawked-man, body laid flat as Weiss created a ceiling of ice stalactites precariously hanging from above him. The ice princess gave him permission to leave, the man scurrying away and Weiss dissipating the ice torture apparatus. "You got distracted again, didn't you?"

Ruby felt a small heat rush to her cheeks, the heiress as perceptive as always. "Ye-yeah," the leader averting her gaze to how she let her tactics fall to an amateurish level. "You were really good, though. It's why I hate sparring with you. You're a treat to watch."

As gray eyes darted back, a smiled spread across the heiress. She leaned in, guiding the leader for a congratulatory, yet steamy, kiss that had the leader flushing harder. "Thanks. I'm peeved that you weren't as efficient as you could have been, but full marks are full marks. I expect you to best me next time around for partner battles. I don't want to be sitting around watching you play tug-of-war with your cloak again."

The daggers of Weiss' back-handed comments had lost their bite over time, but this was the exception, the sting piercing through her ego as she knew it was her short-attention span at fault. The sounds of clapping came from behind them, Ruby confused to where the massive hug from her sister was, Yang absent, leaving the Faunus solo.

"You did really great, girls," Blake praised, bringing them in for a hug. "Not that I was nervous as it is Team CRDL, but hearing Glynda call out 'full marks' is always refreshing."

"Especially when I see my partner taking too many blows with that mace," the heiress added. "You're not hurt are you?"

"Honestly, the tremors in my hands hurt more," Ruby joked.

As the team was having a laugh about missions past, the leader couldn't shake off that her sister was still absent. As she was flipping through her scroll, a notification popped up. A rare, but welcomed call from her father. Ruby answered, the man at home with Zwei carefreely bouncing in his lap. "Hey, Dad. What's up?"

"Hello, my little Ruby. I hope I'm not pulling you out of class, but I thought I better make this call sooner rather than later."

The calm in his tone took this call as a more joyous request. "Sure, Dad. What did you need?"

"I actually need both you and Weiss for this one. Is she anywhere around? This actually pertains more to her."

Ruby was quite shocked that her dad was calling out for a younger woman when he's a single man, but remembered that her father couldn't be that much of a sleaze. She called over to Weiss, Blake greeted and stood behind Ruby.

"Hello, Mr. Xiao Long. How are you today?" Weiss' over-politeness taken down a notch by the patriarch.

"Please, Taiyang is fine. You make me sound older with just professional titles," her father's charm having the heiress giggle, Ruby's fear of a father complex coming too close for fruition. "I called, though, to inform you that we've been able to successfully set up a program for Signal students to get credits and practice on Schnee Dust Company dust mining sites."

"That's terrific, Tai-taiyang, but please take most of the credit. All I did was bring the investors and board members of SDC to the event. You were the one actually making things happen."

"The credit is shared between you girls. That is enough said with flattery and pleasantries, now down to business. We already have the campus swarming to get at these specially selected spots, but we don't have someone who can lead. Our teachers are, of course, the first choice, but I wanted to extend this position over to you, girls." Ruby took heed on every word as her father kept speaking. "Team RWBY, as ill as it makes me seeing the massive destruction balanced with the massive good you girls do around Vale, has gained a certain notoriety. Notoriety that can be exploited for the right reasons. And you, Weiss, are Vale royalty. A mention of your name has most people at attention. A combination of that, along with the SDC board members agreeing to have someone close to the company heading the program, is a no brainer. Ruby, Weiss, you can come down right now to Signal and start picking out and training recruits for the program. What do you say?"

A little peep of joy escaped Ruby's mouth. She didn't know if it was out of her father's respect for her huntsman excellence or the fact she gets to work as Signal under the wings of her father, but containment of happiness was only applicable to her mouth, her eyes sparking as she looked over to Weiss, the heiress speechless as she was trying to debate this over with Ruby. "I-I have no qualms with it. Ruby, is there any..."

"None at all," the leader eagerly interrupted. "We'll take the first airship out of here, Dad."

"Slow down, Ruby," her father pumping the brakes. "This is for the weekend. Pack your things thoroughly. Make sure you bring your overnight bag, and toothpaste and toothbrush, your weapons naturally and..."

"I don't need to hear the parental checklist we got as kids. I swear I'm more responsible at sixteen than I was at fifteen. Besides, Weiss wouldn't let me leave without a proper checklist of her own," Ruby quickly got out, her father sporting a hearty smile seeing a growing daughter.

"Fine, we'll skip to the end of this call. I love you, Ruby. See you and Weiss in a few hours," her father signing off after. Ruby pounced on Weiss' side, the heiress not resisting as she shared the exuberance with her partner.

"Weiss! This is so great. Look at what you did. This is fantastic!"

"You're telling me. I can't believe the quick turn around. I wouldn't put it past the board though to have cheap, free security to add on top of ours. Still, let's get going. I wouldn't want to keep your father waiting." Weiss took Ruby by the wrist and dragged her down the dorm halls.

The leader hastily threw clothes and traveling accessories that the ice princess caught and folded neatly into a suitcase before closing the clasps on the luggage. Not forgetting the most important part to training, she zipped down to the lockers and picked up the cases that house their beloved weapons. Ruby was not to be deterred by being late for the next airship departure, her boots treading thin as she could smell the beginnings of burning rubber beneath her. Wondering where her girlfriend was, she was frantically texting her, Weiss tapping the engrossed leader on the shoulder, the ice princess holding a couple sandwiches knowing Ruby would've forgotten to feed herself in the hustle.

Ruby scarfed down the food before the ship departed, only leaving her to get more amped up for the coming project. The leader was grateful she didn't have to boost Weiss' mood, the heiress' mouth running a mile-a-minute as she was going over the plan. "This is it, Ruby. This is finally the moment I have been waiting for. I'm part of Schnee Dust Company proceedings. I can actually go home and rub that in Father's smug face. It will be gratifying for a second as he'll find some way to besmirch the idea, but I'll see the envy in his face. I'm even surpassing Winter in getting a major project started in the company. She wasn't able to do this until she was nineteen."

"So you beat her by six months?" Ruby innocently asked, not realizing how much an accomplishment it was as the ice princess sternly frowned at her. "I mean... Oh my goodness, Weiss, this is an incredible opportunity and I'm so proud of you and..."

"We talked about not patronizing me before."

"Sorry... it didn't seem like a big deal, is all," Ruby sheepishly admitted. The heiress closed the gap, holding her girlfriend's hand as she spoke.

"It may not look it as you and Yang never had to compete for your father's love, and it shouldn't for me, but it does. Winter is, by all intents and purposes, daddy's little girl," a sarcastic venom-laced with the moniker. "But she earns it. It's partially why I don't see or speak to my sister too often despite being on good terms. It just brings up that horrid feeling I got as a kid. That one that reminds me I'm not good enough."

"Weiss, you're one of the best people I know."

"I know. Thanks for reminding me, though," the heiress sneaking a kiss through the red-tipped locks as she spoke. The playful gesture got Ruby's attention, the blue orbs bright with confidence. "We're going to shape these young huntsman into perfect fighters. They'll be the first marker to my legacy."

A hot fire was burning behind the cold, blue irises, Ruby feeling the intensity as the ship landed, the heiress proudly marching off of the ship, leaving the leader with the many suitcases for her to juggle. Ruby followed as best she could, keeping an eye out from under the mountain of luggage for a white ponytail, the long mass leading her until she heard her dad's voice.

"Weiss, and umm... Ruby." Her dad confused at the black mass with legs walking in tandem with the ice princess. The heiress noticed her negligence and mouthed 'I'm sorry' as she relieved her girlfriend of her burden. The older gentleman also assisted, but then casually ordered one of the many student aides around him to carry this away. "They're staying with me. Take these to my office."

"Yes, Sir," they said in unison, all of them scampering away brought a smile to her father's face, wondering if he's so happy because his children were not ones that would listen well.

"Excellent timing. The list I put online filled up within minutes. Even some of the wait list is at the site, hoping that the lucky few that were able to participate didn't show," the patriarch explained, Ruby not surprised as she remembered the enthusiasm of Signal was all to match prowess and transfer to Beacon. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you this, Weiss, but your name carries a lot of weight. Especially in the recent times when SDC keeps popping up in the headlines. The White Fang is formidable, but your company seems to always stay out on top."

"That's hundreds of years of quality protection and product, Mr. Xiao... I mean, Taiyang," the heiress corrected herself, Ruby secretly hoping she never grows out of her politeness.

"And Team RWBY seems to have its own pull too," her father added. "You're sort of famous to students, Ruby. Only a few have figured out that I'm your father and some of the students requesting an opportunity to meet with you. You're a vigilante in many shades."

Ruby gasped at the idea of fans, her silhouette mirroring those of the heroes she admired in her stories. "Oh, my goodness. Who to thought all those happy accidents that we call missions would get my name around?"

"Don't let it get to your head, Ruby. Once you're a full-fledged huntsman, the less work you do, the better. The paperwork from doing my job was many of reasons I wasn't able to come home on most nights. Don't let that squash your enthusiasm, however. It's fun to fight and, so far, it's been fun to teach. You two may not be experts, but admiration and devotion can carry a lot farther than knowledge these days." The patriarch did have some insight to that. Ruby may not know any of Weiss extended family, but she's sure there are a few bad eggs that can flash the Schnee insignia and have people groveling at their status. "That being said, Ruby, as much as I see a lot of your mother in you when you lead, I'm requesting Weiss take the helm of this project and you assist."

The leader almost tripped as the words stopped her in her tracks. "Wait. What? Dad, I'm the one that leads the team. Just because it's a bigger group, doesn't mean I can't handle it."

"That's not the point I'm making," her father reassured. "Neither of you knows what it's like to lead a class. There's at least twenty-five plus people attending, and, Ruby, I want you to look me in the eyes and tell me you've conquered you shyness since the last time we went out to dinner and you babbled and blushed your way through an apology when you bumped into the cute waiter."

Ruby's eyes rolled, cheeks flushing as she remembered the last dinner at home before they went back to school. She knew some things never change, but some confidence growing at this point seemed lacking with her age. "Fine. I get your point."

"You don't have to be so morose about it," Weiss added. "You've let me lead the team a few times and, unless you were patronizing me, I did an exemplary job."

"And knowing Weiss for such a short time, she has the voice, posture, and attitude to weed out these kids." Ruby was dissatisfied by the the less-than-humble smirk her partner wore as her dad complimented her. "We only have sixteen spots. Make sure to bring out the best of them, you two."

She couldn't deny what either of them were saying. Ruby joked that whatever Weiss attempts, she improves upon the perfected technique. The wanted to protest more, but she could see the huddle of students as they turned a corner on the building, an open landscape of trees and brush behind the dwelling, pockets of dead trees seen as the mid-winter weather had lost the tree's foliage.

She stood next to her father, Weiss beside her, copying her partner as best she could to be a prim and proper as possible as Taiyang introduced them. "Ladies, gentlemen."

"Yes, Headmaster Xiao Long," the group of students chanted in unison, the young ones spreading out into an impromptu line formation.

"You all know why you're here so I won't be taking come sort of attendance. I'm here to pass on the torch to two capable, young ladies. You will treat them with the respect an authority you see in me. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Headmaster Xiao Long."

"Excellent. This is Miss Ruby Rose," her dad gestured her over to introduce herself.

She cleared her throat as she took a step ahead of her father, almost face-palming herself at what came out. "Umm... yeah, Hi. I'm Ruby. It's a pleasure to meet me, I-I mean meet you."

"And a woman who may not need an introduction. She will be your supervisor and instructor, Miss Weiss Schnee."

Weiss proudly stood next to Ruby, chest broad and voice clear as she spoke. "Thank you, Headmaster Xiao Long. Nice to meet all of you. With how limited the class is, there's also a bit of tending to do. Schnee Dust Company only hires the best, and although you won't be paid in Lien, credits and experience are the next best thing, and I expect you to treat this like you're training for a job. Have I made myself clear, students?"

"Yes, Miss Schnee," they repeated, Ruby reluctant to have her girlfriend keep the professional atmosphere she shook.

"With that said, I have to attend to other matters. The rest is up to you." Taiyang departed, Ruby now feeling the weight of being an instructor, the pressure barring as she had over two dozen pairs of eyes staring back at her. She tried harkening back to the memories when she first started out as the leader of Team RWBY, the most useless one of having fun decorating the room only coming to mind.

"Hope the rest of you did some stretching. I want to measure how effective you are at dispatching Grimm. I've been informed of a few Death Stalker and Ursa dens in the area. I want you to clear them out. Any other Grimm you face along the way is fair game and also will be a testament to skill. Miss Rose and I will be monitoring you on our scrolls and, with her semblance, can witness any progress first hand. You ready."

"Yes, Miss Schnee."

"That actually wasn't a question. Move out!" the heiress pointing towards the distance, the students jumping at the opportunity and leaped out towards the forest, the sounds of rustling and weapons configuring as they were spreading out towards the danger, a danger that Ruby had to question.

"How did you come so prepared? You've been talking to me since Dad called. How do you even know the area enough to know there's nests out there?"

"I don't and that's the illusion of elistness," Weiss explained. "Security entails that we have to make sure they can track and dispatch Grimm, how they pair off against each other is following weeks lessons. Also, there's Grimm everywhere, Ruby. I took a stab at a few species that probably exist here. I needed a way to test them and false bravado is not the worst quality when I was given this job mere hours ago. One more thing, I'm sorry I offered you up, but I do need your semblance to help monitoring these kids. I can't zip around the forest like you."

"I wouldn't say kids when I'm sure at least half of them are third and forth years," Ruby pointed out, peering over the heiress' shoulder so she could see the data she was analyzing. "Dad slipped you this, didn't he?"

"He linked me the software and class roster on the airship. I glanced at it so I know none of their names. Let's go get familiar with them, shall we?" Weiss offered her hand to Ruby, the leader grasping on and bursting down the lines of trees to the first student.

Concentrating as much as she could, Ruby could sense a few auras that had made their way the farthest from the start, the leader guessing they actually were able to track. As loud as the landing was, the two undergrads seemed to be focusing on a clue in the dirt. Weiss' eyes darted back and forth between her scroll and the duo, the stats and readings she was getting only mildly impressing her. "So who we have here is Inigo and Elizabeth, both third years and partners. Looks like they wanted to separate from their team and try something new on their own."

"And her weapon is beautiful," Ruby observed, a chain sword turning into a longbow, using the scope to survey the area as she jumped up towards a tree. It seems she noticed something and had Inigo following her.

The new instructors trailed close, Ruby impressed about how effective Elizabeth's inkling was as the two were now face-to-face with a family of Ursas. Inigo was no slacker and armed himself with the small knife attached to his belt, keeping it close to his vest and jumped head first at the Grimm. His weapon was small, but packed a large punch, dust in the chambers and unloaded on the critical areas of the Ursas. Elizabeth was nothing short of a master in archery, her support form the side was able to fire three arrows at once, distracting the creatures enough for Inigo to land a death blow.

Ruby was so awestruck by the performance that she broke the rule of natural observation and gave a standing ovation to the fighting duo. The students turned around, surprised, but charmed as the young leader revealed herself. The smiles quickly faded, Weiss stomped out past her peripherals and stood up against the older couple. "Sloppy. All of it. The day isn't done, but I'm telling you, right now, that if this is what you're bringing to the Schnee Dust Company, they'll go ahead and toss you out in ten seconds and forget you forever in the next five. You, Inigo, you were all style and no substance..."

"Whoa, wait, Weiss. I think you're being too harsh. I thought these two did fantastic," Ruby interrupted. Having been on the other side of that barrage of her technique knows how hard it is to hear.

"Excuse me one moment. Ruby, follow," the heiress ordered, Weiss walking the leader a safe distance, the younger girl knowing how much in trouble she was. The ice princess whipped around, a cold stare piercing through her. "What was that back there?" she demanded.

"Defending them. I'm sure with a finer combing of the fight we could find some faults, but that was beautiful. No causalities, no injures, and almost no sweat broken. They were great."

"Yes, but not good enough to be a part of the company," Weiss corrected. "You overlooked collateral damage. There's a massive crater where Inigo stood, nothing but fallen trees and rubble around him. The reason my company does have so much reserve money is because we have people who don't blow down buildings every other week. They're skilled, they're strong, but I know what I'm looking for, Ruby. Speak up in any other aspect of this, but I've been around the company long enough to know what kind of people are cut out for security detail."

The leader's instinct to rebuttal was quelled as she knew Weiss had many points. Ruby didn't know anymore more that the Schnee Dust Company other than the Schnee's founded it, they manufacture dust and weapons, and they're big enough to be a company. She hadn't even visited a plant, headquarters, or a dust mining site where most of the students would be posted. She didn't like to be talked down by Weiss. She was past that, both literally and figuratively, but she put more faith in her partner, knowing Weiss did the same when Ruby was appointed leader. "Will you let me do what I've been tasked with?"

"Yes. Sorry Weiss," Ruby sincerely apologized, but the defeated tone brought out a caring touch from her girlfriend. The heiress wrapped her arm around the woman, guiding them back to their students.

"I'm not mad and I'll admit they were impressive, but they need to do the best that I can do, not what they can do. I'm saving them from the humiliation of being fired and the company sending out a burn notice to any future employer," Weiss reassured, Ruby only able to mutter and nod her acknowledgment. Before Inigo and Elizabeth came into view, Weiss lowered her hand to hers, Ruby grasping back and giving a reassuring squeeze of her cooperation.

"_Weiss knows what she's doing. Even if she doesn't, we're learning and we'll figure this out together. Just as she was my best teammate, I'll be her best assistant. The first way people are going to follow is by example and her supposed partner, and girlfriend, not complying could raise red flags,_" Ruby confidently thought, until Weiss continued where she left off, picking apart the tactics of stellar huntsmen. A lump in her throat spouted as she felt the worry in Weiss' harsh critique. "_I hope these students have thick skin._"

*-Weiss-*

"And you might want to think about a battle skirt. As great as your jeans are, I can see them ripping from the many acrobatics you do during battle. I'm sure you wouldn't mind having to buy a couple new pairs of skinny jeans online," the heiress dressed down to the most minute of details of the students in front of her. One stood confused, the other angry as they begrudgingly thanked Weiss for her advice. They leaped away, the heiress checking off the last pair of students they had to monitor, then subsequently deleting their names from the roster.

"I saw that," a scolding reply came behind her. "We agreed to not even think about dismissing anyone until the end of the weekend."

"You better not be defending those first years. They are way in over their heads and barely can handle their own against Jaune. I'm making this easier for us tomorrow." Weiss carried through on her decision, Ruby placing her hand firm on the scroll, holding her ground against the heiress.

"We were first years at some point too and we did some pretty remarkable things because someone gave us a chance. Maybe you're right, and these kids don't have what it takes, but they stay on the roster." Ruby's stormy eyes ominous as Weiss looked up at her. The heiress was used to getting away with far too much, her upbringing of getting what she wants responsible for such haste decision making. And she did make this promise to her assistant, said assistant proving nothing, but respectful in hers and Weiss' roles. The ice princess waved away and closed the roster screen, upset, honoring the agreement.

"Fine. You need better have an edge come tomorrow. I do not want to be up all night figuring out the selection," Weiss gave her final terms, Ruby pleased as she was able to stop the heiress' impulse. So absorbed in her job, she didn't take notice of the setting sun, the rumble in her stomach ringing in her ears after the realization. "Wow, it's been too long a day. I better send out a message to the students."

Weiss made a conference call, glad that in the hours of checking in, none of them went missing. "This is Weiss Schnee. I apologize for carrying on for over four hours. I lost track of time. You're relieved for today. Miss Rose and I expect you to be at the location I'll email to you shortly tomorrow. Dismissed."

The audible groans of energy drained grumbled through the speakers, only a few having the iota to give a proper goodbye. Weiss found it forced, but acceptable, her eyes tired of looking at the scroll for so long. Ruby mentioned going back to the cafeteria, Weiss not minding so long as Taiyang wasn't planning on a dinner. With no mention on either of their scrolls, the heiress and her girlfriend rounded for food.

Weiss always wondered what Signal was like. Having this be Ruby's former institution for formal huntress training had her interest peaking as she liked hearing and visiting Ruby's origins. After walking the campus, she didn't understand why Signal wasn't held in as high regard as Beacon. The campus was clean, plenty of foliage and modern architecture mixed with the old to give it a prestige atmosphere. The students all seemed happy, all in groups like Beacon as they emphasized team and partner building. She wondered about the facility, but if they were anything like Mr. Xiao Long, she was sure to be impressed by the attentiveness and knowledgeability of these master huntsman.

Weiss got in line, salivating that they had lobster rolls today, vividly imagining the savory buttery taste complimenting the tender meat. She saw Ruby's eyes grow like dishes as she noticed cookies all the way down the line. She heard a mention of her name as she walked the campus, students whispering, name dropping that Weiss Schnee, _the Weiss Schnee_, was among them. Her pride inflated more as she heard the gossip in the line in the background.

"How was it meeting her?" a female voice came from behind her. "From all the interviews I've seen, she always comes off so refined and down-to-earth. Is she prettier in person? Her blue eyes are so deep and..."

"And stop it," a male voice cutting off the enthusiastic female. "I've had it up to here with her." Weiss' pompous smirk dissolved, unable to fathom at the hatred in the boy's tone. "I had two interactions with her. When the headmaster was there, she was angelic and articulate and I couldn't have been more enthused about meeting her and getting to work under her. The second he left, she sends us out on a mission. That's fine, but she didn't even bother to get to know us and she openly said she'd be spying at us, but we wouldn't know at what time. And she then comes out, after I had just dispatched a Grimm, and I haven't heard a more seething rant since my mother sat me down after I had been arrested for blowing a hole in our neighbor's house."

The cloudy high Weiss was riding on a presumed job-well-done, slowly was falling out of the sky. Each disparaging words spoken were like daggers in her back as the student went on. "One, my form is great. Also, Grimm in that field don't grow that big so showing off some of my skill, which is apparently too sloppy for her taste, I thought was fine. She even was commenting on how I dressed. How does me being dressed in anyway effect my performance? I just... I'm tired of her. If the prize at the end of all this wasn't a chance to work for the SDC, then I might have quit on the spot."

Weiss' stomach tightened, the harsh commentary of her assessment was pulled apart like an onion, the remaining action almost causing tears to fall as the student kept berating her teaching techniques. She hid her face from Ruby, evident as the leader could clearly hear the student behind them. Not wanting to unintentionally eavesdrop anymore, the heiress excused herself. "I'll just meet you outside."

Ruby agreed, but Weiss couldn't escape the panning of her expertise. Overhearing the conversations of groups of students that were all namedropping the new substitute professor that was cold, overly-critical, and unqualified to lead a team let alone a class.

"I know she's like the daughter of the president of the company, but was the headmaster bribed to have her teach? No way someone so mean should have the job."

"It's no wonder she wasn't picked to lead her own team. She could barely handle running around the forest."

"I bet she was winded from all the hot air she let out from scolding us on techniques I get great grades for."

It seemed that no matter how far she went, the voices kept hounding her, Weiss taking to a more secluded spot on the campus, just so she didn't have to hear her name on conjuncture with every dreadful term the student body could use against her. Not knowing the landscape well, she stumbled upon an empty auditorium thinking it was a classroom. The stark room was not was she was looking for, but suited her personal exile. She left a text to Ruby, assuming the former student would know where she was as Weiss couldn't remember how she got here. All of her concentration was spent trying to consciously avoid the bombardment of disparaging hate that her feet lead her to a safe place. She sat at the edge of the stage, ranting back in silence.

"_What did I do wrong? All I was giving was constructive criticism. These students are supposedly training to be some of the best huntsmen in the world. Are they excepting me to spoon feed them the answers? Are they so perfect that they've never been asked to improve on anything in their life? What's wrong with them?... What's wrong with me?_" the heiress lamentably pondered, pulling her knees up to her face to well the shame. The initial pains of hurt subsided as the blows to her pride welted on her emotions. "_I knew I wouldn't be the best professor right out of the gate, but I didn't think I'd have the entire class turn on me in less than a day. I'm not desperate enough to ask them what I did wrong and I'm too vain to let my dignity take a mark and let this stay as it is. How do I dig myself out of this?_"

Going over the million scenarios that were racing in her head, she felt a nudge on her shoulder, the Ruby food mule arriving a the best possible time. Sorrowful azure eyes caught her partner's, Ruby's calmer quality inviting the heiress to be be open. "How... just how did I systematically do everything wrong?"

"Don't beat yourself up on an empty stomach," the leader handing over her lobster roll, Weiss not about to deny the warm comfort food with how low she felt. "We'll brainstorm. We have twenty-four hours to try and fix it."

"The problem is me, though. How do I fix that?"

"You aren't the problem. I wouldn't date you, nor would you have friends, if you were as those students claim. I love you, Weiss, but there are certain... times where I wish you were more... lenient and less... direct with your opinionsm" Ruby gingerly said, Weiss catching that she was beating around the bush to avoid setting off the heiress, but with no luck this time.

"Oh, you better not be getting as soft as these kids. All I was doing was telling them how to improve."

"In the meanest way possible," Ruby countered without hesitation. "You were talking about those kids having all flash an no substance. Well, you were all substance and no flash. Haven't you ever heard of a compliment sandwich?"

"My compliment sandwich would lack bread and you know it. I'm not going to point out what they're good at. I'm telling them how to refine what they lack."

"But, as you can see, you can't be doing it they way you were."

"I was being reasonable."

Ruby promptly placed down her meal, wiped her mouth from the buttery glaze, and dug in her pocket for her scroll. "I didn't want to use this," she said to herself as she dug through the video files. Weiss noticed her ponytail and getup, mostly framed around her legs as the leader unstealthily recorded her.

"You recorded me? Behind my back?"

"You told the students that you would actively spy on them and them sneak on them at a moment's notice. Don't dish out threats you can't handle yourself," Ruby pointed out, Weiss unable to counter as she was thoroughly put in her place. She was cemented as she watched, but mostly listened to herself talk, or rather strip down, an unsuspecting huntsman. The pit in her stomach grew, sympathy pouring out of her as she saw the mirror of whom she was. The venomous words, the harsh criticism, the lack of nurturing support while crafting the perfect huntsman, the cold discipline and drilling of a Schnee. She was glad Ruby wasn't able to record her face. She didn't need a face that was burned into her memory. That icy stare that saw past her, the annoying finger that flapped with every trivial detail in her fighting style, and that scowl.

Weiss had a sudden loss of appetite, her face digging back into her knees and bemoaned the harsh reality. "I turned into Father."

"No..." Ruby's nervous laugh breaking through the blackness. "It's just that... it's the only thing you've been taught. I know you and your dad don't see eye-to-eye, but you're an excellent huntress, Weiss. We all learn differently, and I'm sure if you could change your instructor you would in a heartbeat, but you have to appreciate the results. I know I sure do, partner."

Weiss was bittersweet that her girlfriend's words could eased the ache in her dreary awareness. "Were you working on that speech the entire time or did you pull that one out of thin air?"

"Thin air."

"I hate when you give me lessons and you're two years younger than me," Weiss snarlingly admitted, secretly admiring that her girlfriend stumbles on the right words to lift her spirits.

"Well, that's probably how the students see us. I have a baby face, and even with heels, you're shorter than everyone here. Our experience can't outweigh the fact we look like we're not even first years."

"Then we have to get on their level somehow. Meeting them halfway seems like a victory at this point." Weiss pondered her point, wondering how she could do it if the tables were switched. She remembered initiation at Beacon almost frame-by-frame, her lovely girlfriend a nuisance because she was the monkey wrench in her plan to greatness. Ruby stepped up to such a degree that she was appointed leader, the heiress wondering that if the tables were flipped, would she achieve the same success. "At least I know why I wasn't appointed leader of the team. We'd probably be disbanded by now. Yang probably would've fought with me because I'd be hounding you because you weren't in a place to keep my ego in check. You probably would've followed suit with your sister, family solidarity and all. And once Blake figured out I was a raging racist, and no one there to help me realize that Blake and all Faunus have their story and it's not right to judge them, I would've been left alone."

"That and Team WRBY doesn't have a nice ring to it," Ruby said with a mouthful of lobster, Weiss disgusted, but also couldn't resist the good humor.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," the ice princess unable to curb the leader's bad behavior. "Also, just making sure, I did fine on the missions I led, right?" Weiss examined the leader's face, looking for any mircoexpression of a guilty conscious.

"You did incredible. Passing the torch was a great way to see what everyone else has to offer," the leader answered honestly.

"Then what's with these kids? I'm just following by my own successful example."

"Yes, but people who aren't used to your sass can find it off-putting, especially at first," the dreaded tone in her voice calling to her experience. "We love you, Weiss, which is why we all were able to take your orders and not be dissuaded from the tone. We respected your decision and carried them out to a tee. You're actually a great motivator, but I think that might only apply just to us peers. We are used to your sass and I love it, but people who don't know that's just how you talk may not see it as so."

Weiss didn't have another hypothesis, Ruby sounding as reasonable as anything she would've put on the table. The heiress rubbed her temples, no real solutions coming to mind, all of them not fitting with the damage she's created. She was envious of her girlfriend, a person that makes the whole leading business look so easy on the outside. "I think your dad made a grievous mistake."

"I... I want to give him more credit than that, although he's making Opzin look more like a seasoned headmaster."

"I need more than your help in assisting then. I wouldn't want your dad's first mistake as headmaster be me."

"What did you have in mind?"

"I still need to lead, but maybe you could stop me or... show me how to handle going about what I'm trying to say, but in a nicer way."

"Well, I certainly speak '_Weiss_' at this point. 'I'll be ready in five' means 'I'm having trouble pinning my tiara hairpin today and I wish my ponytail wasn't so long'. 'Stop using your semblance to sneak in a kiss' is 'I secretly like that we can have PDAs without having to be so show-offy about it'. And 'you dolt' means 'I love you.'

"You're two for three."

"What? I thought I had all of your little wordings translated."

"When I call you a dolt, you are still absolutely, a dolt," Weiss put forth, vexed that Ruby knew that her sneaking kisses and leaving roses pedals before the heiress could protest was a favorite of her girlfriend's quirks. "But... if you want to add 'I love you' after every time I utter my favored term of endearment, I'll allow it because I do."

Ruby scooted her way closer, planting a kiss above her temple, Weiss returning the loving gesture on the leader's shoulder before curling her body into it. "It's going to be a long day tomorrow. I have a lot of bridges to put out before I burn them forever."

"We'll figure it out. We're resourceful," Ruby reassured, one arm massaging her girlfriend's side while the other was making sure Weiss was eating, the leader knowing stress causes her partner's stomach to tense. The ice princess took a bite, determined to make sure at least one student is singing her praise.

* * *

><p>Ruby had to stop the heiress from looking into her front camera, nixing any possible hair out of place or wrinkled cloth before she turned the corner, Weiss taking a breath of relief as it seemed nobody decided to drop out. She stopped herself from rubbing sweat forming at her brow, letting her bangs soak the bead before addressing the class. "Students, I want to thank you all for coming so early. We're going to try and complete this quickly so we can enjoy more of the weekend."<p>

The authoritative salute that was given to Taiyang came out more as a few grunts in agreement. "Headmaster Xiao Long informed me of a family King Taijitu. Upwards of forty young were birthed in the recent month. These Grimm are the biggest nuisance due to their large brood that are born and survive based on their agility and long periods without having to feed again. I'm assuming we've all seen how big one can get if left unchecked. Let's go do some population control, or rather, extermination."

Weiss saw some of the student's ears perk up, the mention of Ruby's father's name to add credibility to the assignment a good tactic. "Straightforward, but any questions?" the heiress extended, none of the crowd taking the softened hand, but Weiss was expecting that. "Good. Like yesterday, you will be observed either by cameras or myself and Miss Rose directly. Move out."

The student's whipped past her, the wind kicking up her skirt and hair, listening to the rallying of weapons transforming into a more mobile or deadly form as they sped off in the distance. Weiss closed her eyes, taking deep breaths and centering herself before heading out with Ruby. The leader wasn't utilizing her semblance, letting Weiss carry the pace today. "So, anyone in particular you want to see first or..."

"Those first years. I'm going to take some responsibility and give them another chance," Weiss wanting to right the last wrong before heading out to anyone else. The heiress and Ruby caught up quickly, listening in from afar as the younger duo were were talking.

From what Weiss could gather yesterday, they were a Faunus couple, both of low social-economic status, making Weiss feel worse about the tarnished jeans the deer Faunus woman was wearing. She leaned against a nearby rock, waiting for her wolf boyfriend to figure out what to do next. "You find anything, Kane?" Jane asked, her pointed ears fluttering, no doubt reacting to the rustling Ruby and Weiss were creating.

His human nose was dug into the ground, his wolf claws baring into the soil, digging as much scent as he could. "They fought here yesterday." He stood tall, Ruby finding his height yesterday intimidating, Weiss sharing the timid feeling as she had to play nicer with the man whom seemed the most irritated with her. Kane took his double-barreled shotgun and fired into the distance, Weiss impressed by the wolf's skills as a few Grimm snakes came slithering out from the distance.

Like yesterday, the duo dispatched the mass of King Taijitu, Weiss wondering if Taiyang's intel was accurate based on the size of the snakes. Jane was not able to showcase her support, her partner blowing the last creature in half, the dust ammo from his weapon whipping past Weiss and Ruby, both stunned they were almost nicked from the energy. The heiress' blood boiled, her presence seen as she stood up from the bushes, scowl burning into the others as she was upset they didn't heed advice.

Before Weiss could stomp over, Ruby tugged at her sleeve, the heiress too fueled from the disregard for authority that she tugged away, the leader keeping her in place. "Weiss, don't raise your voice."

"Hard not to as I almost had to dig some bullets from my side," she harshly whispered.

"Please, umm... remember back to the dates where we teach each other how to use our weapons. You control Crescent Rose fairly well. Figure out how to use his," Ruby quickly got out, the heiress connecting the dots as to what her partner was inclining. The ice princess softened her look, approaching the couple with Ruby treading by her feet.

"Not bad, but I see you did not take heed to my hints yesterday," Weiss regret saying, Ruby pinching the back of her arm as her words came out too critical. "I mean, you did well, but why not try and concentrate your attacks?"

The lack of pin-point pain on her arm meant she was doing something right, but it seemed Kane never heard of such a scenario or wondered where the fire was as Weiss spoke. "Is that what you were telling us?"

The heiress forced her mood afloat, not letting these two young huntsmen to bury her ego when she had another twenty students to do the same thing to. "Yes. Mind if I see your weapon?"

Kane handed it over, his monstrous hands delicate in handing the heavy weapon to the unprepared heiress. Weiss almost threw out her back holding the shotgun-chainsaw combo, having to admit it's an ingenious design for a person who likes to keep it close and gory. The blade was lined with mini dust chambers, the hilt, shaped like the end of a chainsaw, holding the cartridge that supplied the dust, giving him and his weapon an elemental boost in battle. Weiss locked the cage around her wrist, the weapon almost dragging her to the floor without the other hand to support it.

She revved up the engine, Weiss figuring out the weapon with ease with the masterfully built concepts. She chose the familiar blue dust, the rattling of the chainsaw breaking off ice nuggets as fast as they were forming. The ice princess whipped the weapon around her, on oval barrier forming between her and an imaginary trapped enemy. She switched dusts, a brilliant fire erupting from the chainsaw. She rushed and stabbed the middle of the ice barrier, concentrating the dust to the apex of the wall, blasting it and crumbling the ice shards to the ground.

Weiss almost screamed, 'don't clap, you dolt.' as she could hear Ruby's appreciation of the demonstration. The instructor unshackled herself from the weapon, handing it back to its owner. The heiress took twenty paces, back to where her impromptu enemy was. She unsheathed Myrtenaster, pointing her blade and taking her stance as she signaled Kane to attack her. "Now, do what I did. I'll judge from this end."

Kane stared dumbfounded at the request, waiting for the punchline to the ruse he thought Weiss to be pulling. The heiress stood her ground, waiting patiently for the Faunus to carry on. The man started the chainsaw, the engine roaring, the ice princess feeling the gears churning to her skin. Kane charged, Weiss already seeing through his slipshod movements and blocked it, but unable to save the trees taken down behind her.

"Good, but try again. Manipulation of dust is key to any huntsman. Have your aura guide where you want the impact the most, not just your body," she instructed, Ruby holding back her squees as Weiss could see her girlfriend cheerleading from behind them. She took her stance. "Again, I want my palms to hurt from the impact."

Kane concentrated, fire igniting from the weapon as he charged again, Weiss able to keep up with her student as she hounded him. "Good, but you can do better. Again." The Faunus repeated, Weiss not getting the promise of him hurting her, but that added incentive paid off, almost not even a spark or ember breaking out after the collisions with steel. Before the boy grew to impatient, the instructor called it off.

"There, I think you got it. It may not be as fun, but your strikes were sharper, your movements were quicker as you understood the technique, and I almost couldn't defend in some cases."

"Thank you, Miss Schnee. It was nice sparring with you."

"You're welcome, but other Grimm need to be dispatched and other students need to be evaluated. Dismissed," Weiss ordered, turning her back to the students as they left, bringing up her scroll to add in the new information she had gathered.

"You were doing so well up until that cold-shoulder, Ice Queen," Ruby teased, knowing that old nickname dug deep in her.

"You know not to call me that. I actually heard a 'thank you', not the usual low-breathed mumbles from yesterday."

"It's because you came down to their level and elevated them. You were really good, Weiss. I'm so proud of you." Ruby snuck up from behind, putting her entire body weight into her embrace as she celebrated the heiress' first good mark as an instructor. She tried to play it off, knowing there was so much more to do before a proper celebration, but her girlfriend's jubilation had her cheering too, Weiss bouncing up and down with Ruby.

The leader took it a step too far, the heiress frightened as her feet left the ground, Ruby holding her high by the hips. "Put me down. We actually need to get moving," the heiress cheerfully protested, planted back down gallantly by her girlfriend. "Inigo and Elizabeth are not too far from here. Why not make them our next restitution?"

"Sounds good to me," Ruby stretching as she awaited Weiss' orders.

"I don't know how you do it, Ruby," Weiss feeling some responsibility lift off as she confided with someone with experience. "The patience, the docile tone, the carefully selected, non-offensive terms. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It's actually really hard to be nice when it doesn't come out so easily. Ozpin was right in his choice for the leader of Team RWBY. Keeping this kind of demeanor will be tough every other week, let alone every day."

"Yes, Ozpin was right, but that doesn't mean Dad was wrong in choosing you. You can lead, Weiss, with an iron fist and breathing fire down people's necks. There's many ways to learn. Sometimes we need a teacher, other times a mentor, but you are a director." Ruby's explanation had her mouth curling as she continued. "Maybe Dad appointed you because he does see a massive potential in you or he's avoiding self-destruction because some humility wouldn't be the worst virtue you can pick up from instructing students. Not all girls are made with sugar, spice, and everything nice. Some were made with a little vinegar."

Weiss was charmed by her girlfriend's explanation. She was different. She was the embodiment of an elegant women. The frail, beautiful exterior a guise for a women that is destined for things no man would dare. "Were you working on that speech all night or did you pull that one out of thin air?

"All night," Ruby sheepishly admitted. "Being the best assistant requires some special attention to the leader's moral. I picked that up from someone. Can't remember who."

Weiss' gratitude showed in the form of a kiss, one steamy enough for the leader's to readjust her balance with her leg lifting daintily in the air. The heiress would've like to continue, but had already wasted enough time talking. Zipping past the trees, Ruby boldly giving the heiress a wink as they pursued the next students. "_Like father, like daughter. Even from the backseat, she might be the reason we salvage this whole project. To think I want to change the company. If I would be appointed today, I'd inevitably be voted out from the board with my amateurish experience. Whatever I learn from this, I owe Ruby the biggest cookie._"


End file.
